Days of Palestine, Geneva –Israeli authorities has refused to grant access to UN official planning to start a visit to the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT) on September 20, UN statement said.
New United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Occupied Palestinian Territories Makarim Wibisono will undertake his first official visit to the region between September 20 and September 28.
The statement said that Wibisono would gather first-hand information on the current human rights situation in the OPT following Israeli war over the past two months, which resulted in at least 1,473 Palestinian civilians killed, including some 501 children.
Wibisono, an independent expert, the statement said, would visit Jordan and Egypt during his mission. He would seek to access to Gaza through the Rafah Crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
“Despite my best efforts, I have not been granted access by ‘Israel’ to the Occupied Palestinian Territory at this time,” Wibisono said.
“I deeply regret not having the opportunity to visit the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” he added, “and to speak face-to-face with victims and witnesses of Israel’s alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.”
During his mission, the Special Rapporteur will meet with Palestinian officials, religious and community leaders and civil society representatives, among others.
According to the statement, Wibisono would discuss the human rights situation across the OPT with a focus on the situation of Palestinian children, and the long-term impacts of violence, conflict and occupation on their fundamental human rights.
“The Special Rapporteur will present an oral update to the General Assembly in October 2014 on his findings and conclusions, and report fully on his mission with recommendations, to the Human Rights Council in March 2015,” the statement said.
A press conference will be held at the end of the Special Rapporteur’s visit, on Sunday 28 September at 10:30, at the Fairmont Heliopolis hotel in Cairo.
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