On 23 October 2007 representatives from
PCHR and the Women’s Affairs Center (WAC) met an official Swedish delegation
from the Consulate General in Jerusalem and the Swedish International
Development Agency (SIDA). Raji Sourani, Hamdi Shaqoura, and Mona El-Shawwa
represented PCHR; and Na’ela Ayesh and Rima Rikhawi represented WAC. The Swedish
delegation included Anna-Klare Berglund (Consul – Development Cooperation),
Anders Ohrstrom (Consul/Counsellor, Head of Development Cooperation), and
Elisabet Hellsten (SIDA Country Programme Coordinator in SIDA’s Department fro
Asia, Middle East and North Africa).
The meeting discussed the human rights
situation in the OPT, especially in the Gaza Strip, including the impact of
Israel’s policy of besieging the Gaza Strip and closing all its borders for the
movement of persons and goods on the civilian population. PCHR and WAC stressed
that the civilian population is the party suffering from the siege that is
leading to further deterioration in the humanitarian and human rights situation
in the Gaza Strip, especially economic and social rights. They pointed that the
issue has gone beyond transforming the Strip into an animal farm by allowing
only food and medicine into the Strip; and that the 40th anniversary
of the Israeli occupation has been the bloodiest and worst year of occupation.
PCHR and WAC stressed the moral and legal
responsibilities of Europe towards what is happening in the OPT.
The meeting also discussed the bloody
internal clashes of June 2007 and subsequent developments that have had a great
impact on the Palestinian psyche. PCHR and WAC pointed that these internal
clashes included numerous serious violations of human rights, and have resulted
in a vertical split in the Palestinian political system. They stressed that
dialogue is the only way out of this unprecedented crisis.
The meeting also focused on the suffering
of woman from the Israeli occupation and from discrimination and violence at the
internal level.
It is noted that PCHR and WAC have
long-standing relationships with SIDA.
