Participating in the briefing were (l to r): Mr Marwan Bishara, member of the WCC/CCIA; Rev. Dr Georges Tsetsis, member of the WCC Executive and Central Committees; Ms Yael Stein, B'TSELEM, The Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories; and Mr Khader Shkirat, LAW, The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment.
Mr Khader Shkirat, Director of LAW, The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment speaks at the briefing.
In preparation for the 57th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) and as part of its international advocacy efforts, the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) of the World Council of Churches hosted an off-the-record briefing on the human rights situation in Palestine for diplomats, UN agencies and selected Geneva-based NGOs on Thursday March 1st 2001.
Contributors to the briefing included Mr. Marwan Bishara, member of the CCIA and author and researcher at L’Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris, Ms. Yael Stein, research director of B’TSELEM - The Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories and Mr. Khader Shkirat, director of LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment.
The speakers provided an update of the human rights situation on the ground as well as an analysis of the current political context before answering questions from the audience. Many participants, from both NGOs and UN missions, expressed their appreciation to the WCC for providing this space and opportunity for a briefing and exchange of views with regards to such a critical item on the forthcoming UNCHR agenda.
The briefing was moderated by the Very Rev. Dr Georges Tsetsis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople and member of the WCC Executive and Central Committees and was followed by an aperitif hosted by WCC General Secretary, Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser.
The WCC also facilitated meetings for the contributors to the briefing with UN Missions in Geneva on Friday March 2nd 2001. International Relations staff accompanied the speakers to meetings with permanent representatives to the UN as well as with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. During these sessions the urgent human rights situation in Palestine was highlighted once more and views were exchanged on the approach and expectations for the UNCHR.