On
Sunday, 17 December 2007, PCHR received at its office in Gaza City the Head of
the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Right, Mr. Guiseppe Calandruccio.
The
visitor met with Mr. Jaber Wishah, Deputy Director of PCHR, who briefed him on
the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT),
especially the Gaza Strip, and violations of international humanitarian law and
human rights law perpetrated by Israeli Occupation Forces against Palestinian
civilians.
Mr.
Wishah reiterated the call for the United Nations Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights to increase its activities in the OPT, impacts of
human rights violations on the economic and social conditions of Palestinian
civilians. He stressed that the international community does not lack
information about Israeli violations of human rights, but it does not have the
political will to meet its obligation under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The
visitor expressed his understanding for PCHR’s view with regard to increasing
activities of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the OPT.
He briefed Mr. Wishah on the Office’s plan of actions, and expressed the need to
enhance coordination and cooperation with PCHR, especially as the United Nations
Human Rights Council adopted the periodic review of human rights situations in
the 192 State Members of the Council, including Israel, which will be required
to submit its report in September 2008.
Later, PCHR received the Head of the Mission of Medicins Sans Frontieres, Mr.
Duncan McLean. He met with Mr. Jaber Wishah at PCHR’s office in Gaza City. Mr.
Wishah briefed the visitor on the human rights situation in the Gaza Strip,
focusing on health conditions and the suffering of Palestinian patients under
the Israeli siege.
Mr.
Wishah further called for expanding the scope of activities of Medicins Sans
Frontieres in the Gaza Strip, including establishing mechanisms to ensure the
right of health for Palestinian civilians, and called for considering providing
aid to victims of Israeli attacks and internal fighting to ensure their right to
receive appropriate medical treatment.
