MEPs explore Human Rights issues in Palestine and Israel
Wednesday 09 November 2011By EU Reporter Correspondent
Last week a delegation of MEPs from the Women's Rights Committee visited Israel and Palestine for talks with senior political figures on human rights related issues.
The visit came just days after tensions increased following an Israeli air strike in the West Bank, and the firing of a rocket into Israeli territory, killing one man.
The delegation was allowed access to the besieged city of Gaza, which was described as a "harrowing" experience, with MEPs having to negociate a Hamas roadblock within minutes of entering the enclave. There they visited a number of civil initiatives, including a UN run school, and also met with representatives of civil society.
"It is an incredibly difficult situation" said British MEP Nikki Sinclaire, "but the blossoming of civil society and the progress being made in the field of education, particularly at primary level, was reassuring. There is clearly hope in this troubled place and at this difficult time, but we must be sensitive and focussed if the international community is to be of real lasting help here". Ms Sinclaire has been highly critical of the EU's handling of the situation - the European Commission is the largest single donor of aid to Palestine - citing secret meetings between European officials and Hamas, and lack of scrutiny of aid payments, some of which money is alleged to have found it's way into Hamas hands, as problematic.
In Ramallah the MEPs met with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and a number of his government's ministers. There was also a meeting in the Knesset with Israeli parliamentarians.