Ref: 48/2007

Date: 10 September  2007

Through Refusing to Issue a Travel Permit:

IOF Prevent Human Rights Defender from Meeting Tony Blair in Jerusalem

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) prevented Raji Sourani, PCHR’s Director, from traveling to Jerusalem to meet Mr. Tony Blair, the Quartet Special Envoy for the Middle East, for a meeting scheduled on Sunday, 9 September 2007. IOF refused to issue Sourani a permit to travel to Jerusalem from Gaza.

Sourani received an invitation from Mr. Blair’s office on 30 August 2007 for a meeting in Jerusalem to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip. Mr. Blair’s office initiated procedures to secure the necessary permit allowing Sourani to enter Jerusalem and attend the meeting. However, Mr. Blair’s office informed Sourani on Sunday evening that efforts to obtain a permit have failed.

It is noted that, eight years ago, Sourani was banned from entering the West Bank, Jerusalem and Israel. The ban still persists despite the fact that Mr. Sourani is an internationally acclaimed human rights defender managing one of the leading Palestinian human rights organizations.