CEPR

The Council for European Palestinian Relations helped organize the projection of the documentary film, "Our Water, Their Water" (2011), by French producer, Félix Vigné, in the European Parliament on March 21, 2012. Mr. Vigné was present for the screening as was Mr. Ziyaad Lunat from the EWASH who presented their report "Down the Drain". The showing was hosted by Members of the European Parliament, Alexandra Thein (ALDE) and Margrete Auken (Greens/EFA). 

Click on the image to view the trailer

The Council for European Palestinian Relations (CEPR) organized A European Political delegation to Jerusalem and Hebron between the first and the third of March, 2013. The delegation included Parliamentarians from England, Scotland and Ireland. The delegation arrived, Friday, on the first of March to the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank in a mission to assess the situation of the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli jails and their beleaguered families. The delegation visited Al-Eisawiya and Selwan areas in Jerusalem and the villages of Deir Samet and Sieer in Herbon.

On Saturday morning the second of March, the delegation set out to visit the sit-in tent in Al-Bostan neighborhood in Selwan area-Jerusalem. When they arrived, the delegation met with residents of the neighborhood and also Palestinian activists like Mona Barbar from the Ministry of Youth and Sport, Mr. Morad Abu Shafe' and Sheikh Mousa Auda from Al-Bostan Neighborhood's People Committee, Mr Jawad Siyam, the head of Wadi Al-Helwa Information Center and Mr Amjad Abu Asab from Jerusalem's Prisoners Committee.

While there, the delegation listened to a briefing on the history of the sit-in tent and the reason for setting it up and the Israeli threat to demolish Al-Bostan neighborhood and ethnically cleanse it of its Palestinian residents. The residents of the neighborhood were given the chance to talk about the continued Israeli detention of the neighborhood's men, women and children. They also talked about their feeling of insecurity because of the Israelis who disguise themselves as Arabs and sneak into the neighborhood. The delegation then headed to the house of Sheikh Mousa Auda to listen to testimonies of Imsalam Auda, 14 years old, and Yusef Al-Rashq, 12 years old, who had been arrested by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) more than once and were put under home arrest. The delegation also met Amani Mousa, 26, who was shot in her lower jaw with a rubber bullet by the Israeli soldiers while in the balcony of her house in Silwan area-Jerusalem.

Afterwards, the delegation moved to Al-Isawiya area in Jerusalem to visit the family of Samer Al-Isawi who has been on a hunger strike in the Israeli jail for 230 days in protest against his detention. The delegation met with Samer's parents and his sister Shereen. Shereen talked about her imprisoned brother, the day on which he was arrested, and the day when he started his hunger strike. She also talked about the proceedings of the court , the two Israeli court hearings when Samer was convicted and called upon the delegation to help release her brother. Then Samer's mother talked about her sons and the number of years each of them spent in the Israeli jails. '' I don’t want nothing from this life but to see my son alive and out of prison'' she said. The delegates asked the family a few questions about Samer and his conditions in prison. Sir Gerald Kaufam promised to raise the cause of Samer in the next session of the British Parliament.

In the school yard opposite to Al-Isawi's house, the delegation held a press conference. International and local journalists and media workers attended the conference. Mr Patrick Sheehan, of the Irish Parliament, expressed his support and solidarity with the family of Samer Al-Isawi and mentioned that he was a prisoner in the British prisons in the late 1980s, and survived a hunger strike himself. Mr.Naser Qaws, the director the Palestinian Prisoners' Club in Jerusalem delivered a speech as well and demonstrated the suffering that the Palestinian prisoners go through in the Israeli jails and the violations of human rights committed by Israel against them.

Thereafter, the delegation headed to Hebron and met with the head of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Mr Aziz Dwaik and representatives of Hamas. Dwaik welcomed the European MPs and Mr Kaufman in particular; the latter had visited Dwaik during his own imprisonment. He expressed his appreciation for the MPs’ solidarity with Palestinians in Israeli prisons. Other representatives of the district of Hebron and members of the PLC had been invited to meet with the European delegation today, but had unfortunately been engaged elsewhere.

Once the MPs had introduced themselves, Kaufman spoke of his steady commitment to the Palestinian Cause and said that the MPs visit was designated for a follow up (on the issue of) the prisoners on hunger strike. He then went on to direct a word to the Palestinian people: “No to despair! Nothing lasts forever; Patrick Sheehan is a great example for this.” he said referring to the Irish “Troubles” with the British government. According to Gerald Kaufman, the only government that can have an actual influence on the Palestinian Cause is Washington. However, he continued, its leader shows no will to commit to it. Dwaik briefed the MPs on the situation of the hunger strikers; the circumstances they live in, their demands and numbers. To them and in fact to all Palestinians, he said, the international solidarity was crucial.

Lunch was followed by a visit to the old city of Hebron. The delegation learned about Israeli settlers’ assaults on local Palestinians and their effect on the economic and social life.
The group then travelled to Beit Awwa to visit the family of prisoner on hunger strike Ayman Sharawna. Local journalists (حوامدة) depicted the prisoner’s story and the MPs had the opportunity to speak to the family; especially to Sharawna’s mother who had joined her son in his hunger strike. In a symbolic gesture, the Sharawna family served the guests salt and water – the only nourishment the hunger strikers take in.

The MPs promised to take the story of Ayman Sharawna and his mother home and to address the issue of Palestinians prisoners in the European parliament.
Another prisoner’s home, the house of Arafat Jaradat in Saeer, was visited. Jaradat had died on 23th February after five days in Israeli custody. The delegation expressed their condolences to the family and learned about his medical record. Jaradat’s uncle and aunt were present and described the circumstances under which he was arrested. Finally, the delegation was given a copy of Arafat Jaradat’s autopsy report. 

CEPR facilitates and engages in political dialogue between European, Palestinian and Arab parliamentarians and policy-makers. In recent years, CEPR representatives have engaged with the highest level European and Arab policy makers to encourage peace and justice in the Middle East. 

In Europe, the CEPR is actively engaged in European and national parliaments around the continent. Europe’s role in bringing justice and peace to the Middle East is crucial and the CEPR aims to facilitate dialogue in Europe that promotes this goal. With an increased understanding of the situation in the Middle East, European politicians are better positioned to develop policies that promote the restoration of Palestinian rights.

CEPR representatives have held meetings with Jerzy Buzek, former President of the European Parliament, and his predecessor Hans-Gert Pöttering, to brief them on the situation in Palestine. We have also met with Javier Solana, former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security policy, as well as many Members of the European Parliament and with officials from the other bodies of the European Union, namely the European External Action Service (EEAS).

In the Middle East, the CEPR engages with all Palestinian political factions, as well as holding talks with key regional actors, such as the League of Arab States, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Jordan, and the President, Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament in Lebanon, as well as the transitional government in Tunisia and political actors in Egypt. Through this political engagement, we are able to forge links between Europe and the Arab world, identifying the common interest in achieving peace and justice for the Palestinian people.

Anouar Gharbi is Foreign Affairs Adviser of the President of Tunisia and President of the NGO Right for All/Droit pour Tous based in Geneva, Switzerland. He founded the assocation Forum for Tunisians/Forum des Tunisiens in 1998 as well as the International Association for Tunisian Expatriots (IATE). Mr. Gharbi also helped found other movements to promote human rights such as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and the European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza (ECESG).

Richard Howitt is a British Labour politician and Member of the European Parliament with the Socialists and Democrats (S&D). He is S&D spokesperson on human rights and sits on the Committee for Foreign Affairs, the Subcommittee on Human Rights, and also the Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee. Mr. Howitt has been an official EU election monitor for both Palestinian presidential and legislative elections.

Mazen Kahel is a French businessman originally from Gaza and holds a PhD in business management from Versailles University. He is an activist and human rights defender, also engaged in promoting Palestinian rights.

Geri Müller is Member of the Swiss Parliament since 2003 and a member of the committees of foreign affairs and of security politics. He is Board member of PNoWB/IMF (Parlamentarian Network on the World Bank/IMF) and vice-president of the town of Baden, Switzerland. For over 30 years, he has worked on professional and political issues in the Middle East for the self-determination of all individuals. 

Alexandra Thein is German Member of the European Parliament (MEP) with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group. Ms. Thein is a member of the Committee on Legal Affairs in the European Parliament and is an active member different Delegations, including for Relations with Israel, for Relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council, for Relations with Mashreq countries, and for Relations with Iraq.

Norman Warner is is a Labour member of the House of Lords. He serves on Select Committees and All-Party Parliamentary Groups including for Palestine. In 2010, Lord Warner was elected Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group. Previously, he was a Health Minister in the Blair government and senior policy adviser to the Home Secretary working on criminal justice and constitutional reform.