On 24 September 2007, PCHR hosted a 33-member delegation
from several donor countries including Switzerland, Canada, Sweden, Denmark,
Norway, and Belgium. Rolf Holmboe from Denmark headed the delegation that
included several ambassadors, consuls, and representatives to the PNA.
Raji Sourani, PCHR’s Director, met the visiting delegation
and thanked them for their initiative to assess the situation in Gaza on the
ground. The meeting discussed several topics, most notably the international
embargo on the Palestinian people, the impact of collective punishment on
Palestinian civilians, the European and international role in supporting Israeli
practices, International Law and International Humanitarian Law commitments on
Israel and the international community, and the most notable Israeli human
rights violations against Palestinians.
Sourani opened his talk to the visitors by stressing that
International Law and International Humanitarian Law are the real victims of
violations against Palestinian civilians, who should be protected by the 4th
Geneva Convention. He talked about the impact of the international embargo on
Palestinians since January 2006. He stressed that the embargo did not have any
impact on Hamas, and that those who were really affected are the civilian
population. He described the embargo as unjust, and that it is in reality
collective punishment of Palestinians for practicing their democratic right.
Sourani stated that Europe punished Palestinians through this siege and
undermined their democratic experience.
On the impact of the international embargo, Sourani
highlighted the severe deterioration in the humanitarian and economic situation
of the civilian population, stressing that Europe is a party to this suffering
by its role in the embargo. In addition, he added that Europe’s silence over
Israel’s violations against Palestinians makes it a party to these violations.
On the issue of Israel’s human rights violations, Sourani
stated that the policy of closure and restrictions on the movement of
individuals and goods to and from the Gaza Strip has transformed the territory
into a large prison. On the 40th anniversary of the occupation,
Sourani stated, the average Palestinian’s dream to enjoy freedom of movement.
Sourani stated that the latest Israeli announcement that the
Gaza Strip is a “hostile entity” is nothing new; and that Israel has been
treating the Strip as such for many years. He pointed that the announcement aims
to free Israel of its obligation to respect the rights of the civilian
population and to protect them. Instead the announcement lays the groundwork for
inflicting further bloodshed and suffering on the civilian population under the
cloak of the silent international community. Sourani affirmed that the main
Palestinian demand was and still is the implementation of International Law and
International Humanitarian Law. He demanded that the visiting countries return
to their moral value and cease imposing unjust sanctions on Palestinian
civilians.
It
is noted that this is the second visit of its kind to PCHR. Last month, a
44-member delegation from different countries visited the Centre.
