PARC Host a Solidarity Delegation from Luxembourg

April 29, 2007

 

A meeting was lately held at PARC's office in Jerusalem attended by an international delegation representing two NGOs in Luxembourg; the Committee for Just Peace and the ASTM on one hand and representatives of the Coalition for Jerusalem on the other. The aim of the meeting was to explain the numerous hazards that the occupied city of Jerusalem and the Palestinian people are subject to because of the Israeli oppressive and discriminatory policies for example the master plan 2000, the light train, E1, the wall, home demolition, etc.

PARC's representative, Ghada Zughayar, welcomed the delegation expressing PARC's high appreciation for the delegation's steady solidarity with the Palestinian people against the continuing attempts to deform the Palestinian national struggle that aim at ending the Israeli occupation, liberation and independence. She referred to the protest letter which the Committee for Just Peace sent to Human Rights Watch last December in which the committee condemned the negative image of the Palestinian national resistance viewed by Human Rights Watch report which talked about the Palestinian resisting forces using "human shield" to prevent the bombardment of one of the houses in Jabaliya Refugee Camp north of Gaza. The Committee for Just Peace asserted that civilians' protection of the house against demolition is the paramount of the Palestinian peaceful resistance of the Israeli occupation's atrocities. And added that peaceful resistance is the only means remained for this people to fight for freedom. In prompt reaction, Human Rights Watch issued an apology letter for the unintentional mistake.

Following this introduction, the Jerusalem Coalition coordinator, Rima Awad, introduced the Coalition's composition, aims and scope of work since it was established in 2004 as a reaction to Israel's announced Master Plan 2000 of Jerusalem. She briefed the delegation on the Coalition's lobbying campaigns against the Master Plan, E1, the Light Train and the Wall. She also talked about the Coalition's achievements with regard to the Palestinian Jerusalemites' participation in the Legislative elections in 2006.

The director of the Al-Mirsat organization, Amal Nashashibi, gave a power point presentation on the Jerusalem Master Plan pointing out the hazards of such a plan on the Palestinian existence in Jerusalem. She alerted Palestinian formal and popular levels on it asking various associations to resist this plan and to mobilize friends around the world to stand by the Palestinian people particularly the Jerusalemites in their struggle against the Israeli continued occupation.

The participating organizations also gave short interventions about their wok in Jerusalem and answered the questions put by the delegation.

Following the meeting, PARC organized a tour around Jerusalem for the delegation aiming at explaining and showing the multiple impact of the Wall on the Palestinian Jerusalemites. The coordinator of the Grassroots Palestinian Anti Apartheid Campaign, Jamal Juma'a, guided the delegation who expressed their shock at the facts enforced by Israel to create an irreversible situation before the final status negotiations start and to perpetually annex Jerusalem. 

 

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