55 EU Lawmakers Visit Gaza in a Fact-Finding Mission

Delegation of EU lawmakers enters Gaza

Published yesterday (updated) 16/01/2010 14:45

Gaza – Ma’an –

European Members of Parliament arrived in Gaza on Friday via the Rafah crossing to assess the situation in the besieged Strip in the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead, Israel's assault on Gaza last winter.

"A delegation of 55 EU members of parliament are in a two-day visit, during which they will tour areas destroyed by Israel's war," the de facto Committee to End the Siege said.

"They will meet with Gaza lawmakers, ministers and the committee documenting war crimes, in addition to a number of nongovernmental organizations working in Gaza."

The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza, based in Brussels, organized the visit. Other delegations of members of parliament have entered Gaza with the organization's coordination, as well as convoys of medical aid.

EU parliamentary delegation visits blockaded Gaza

[ 15/01/2010 - 11:38 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

A high-ranking European parliamentary delegation arrived Friday in the Gaza Strip to express solidarity with the besieged Gaza people and to see for themselves the effects of the Israeli war on Gaza.

The delegation, which comprises 56 parliament members from 12 European countries and the European Union, is headed by Sir Gerald Kaufman, a veteran British MP.

They crossed into Gaza on Friday afternoon through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt where they were received by an official Palestinian parliamentary delegation headed by the first deputy speaker Dr. Ahmad Bahar.

Speaking at a news conference at the Rafah crossing, Sir Gerald Kauffman said that the visit of the delegation was a message of solidarity with Gaza and called for an end to the Israeli siege.

He also said: "anybody who uses white phosphorous should be arrested and should be tried for war crimes".

Kauffman said that while many Israeli leaders avoid travelling to European countries for fear of being arrested, we know that there are 1.5 million human beings in the Gaza Strip suffering because of the Israeli siege.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the PLC, told reporters that the visiting delegation know the extent of destruction caused by the Israeli war on Gaza, but now they will see that destruction for themselves.

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