Ref: 67/2007

Date: 29 November  2007

Sourani Meets with EU Representatives to the PNA and Director of UNRWA’s Field Office

On Thursday morning, Attorney Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, met with a diplomatic delegation that included most representatives of the EU States to the Palestinian National Authority.

Souarni briefed members of the delegation on the human rights situation in the Gaza Strip, especially the catastrophic impacts of the Israeli total siege imposed on the Strip on the Palestinian civilian population, especially their economic and social rights, including the right of health. He stressed that the international boycott imposed on the Gaza Strip since January 2006, which escalated following Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip, is an inhuman and illegal measure, demanding the EU States not to join such boycott and to meet their obligations towards the protection of Palestinian civilians.

Sourani further discussed the developments in the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ takeover last June, expressing PCHR’s point of view of those developments. He expected that the worst with regard to humanitarian and livening conditions is yet to comes, especially following the Annapolis Conference.

He highly appreciated the understanding demonstrated by members of the delegation towards his viewpoints concerning the issues that were discussed in the meeting, and their interest to know facts about the situation. However, he stressed that such understanding is not enough and that the EU States should effectively act to lift the boycott and resume their suspended projects in the Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday, 28 November 2007, Sourani met with Mr. John Ging, Director of UNRWA’s Field Office in Gaza. He discussed with Mr. Ging the human rights situation in the Gaza Strip and the humanitarian and living conditions of the civilian population. During the meeting, Sourani thanked Mr. Ging for the humanitarian and relief role played by UNRWA at this stage, highly appreciating its efforts to ease the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip resulting for the siege imposed on it. He further highly appreciated the major role played by Mr. Ging and Ms Karen Abu Zayd, UNRWA Commissioner-General, at the international level in explaining the catastrophic repercussions of the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip on living conditions of the Palestinian civilian population.

On his part, Mr. Ging detailed Sourani about UNRWA’s future plans at several levels, and Sourani asserted that UNRWA’s plans and efforts are highly appreciated by the Palestinian civil society and human rights organizations.