{"id":203429,"date":"2001-07-19T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T18:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?p=203429"},"modified":"2019-03-12T18:34:20","modified_gmt":"2019-03-12T18:34:20","slug":"auto-insert-203429","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/auto-insert-203429\/","title":{"rendered":"NGO Meeting in Solidarity with the Palestinian People (Madrid, July 2001) – Report – DPR publication"},"content":{"rendered":"
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UNITED NATIONS NGO MEETING IN SOLIDARITY<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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Madrid<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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19 July 2001<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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CONTENTS<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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Paragraphs<\/u><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Page<\/u><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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I.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Introduction<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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1 – 5<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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II.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Opening statement<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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6 – 8<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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III.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Plenary session<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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9 – 28<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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IV.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Closing statement<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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29 – 30<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Annexes<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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I.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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NGO Statement and Plan of Action<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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10<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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II.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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List of participants<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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12<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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I.  Introduction<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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1.\t<\/span>The United Nations NGO Meeting in Solidarity with the Palestinian People was held in Madrid, on 19 July 2001, under the auspices of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and in accordance with the provisions of General Assembly resolutions <\/span>55\/52<\/a> and <\/span>55\/53<\/a> of 1 December 2000.  The NGO Meeting immediately followed the International Meeting on the Question of Palestine that was held at the same venue on 17 and 18 July 2001.  <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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2.\t<\/span>The Committee was represented by a delegation comprising Ibra Deguène Ka (Senegal), Chairman of the Committee; Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla (Cuba), Vice-Chairman of the Committee; Ravan A.G. Farhâdi (Afghanistan), Vice-Chairman of the Committee; Walter Balzan (Malta), Rapporteur of the Committee; Sotirios Zackheos (Cyprus) and Nasser Al-Kidwa (Palestine). <\/p><\/div>\n

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3.\t<\/span>The Meeting was opened by the Chairman of the Committee.  The morning session of the Meeting was chaired by Mr. Miguel Angel Sánchez, Secretary-General of the Organization of Justice and Peace, and the afternoon session by Mr. Don Betz, Chairman of the International Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine.  The presentations by experts focused on the following themes:  “Mobilizing public opinion in support of the Palestinian people – efforts by NGOs, other civil society organizations and the media”, “Review of NGO action worldwide” and “Development of action-oriented proposals and mechanisms for their implementation”.<\/p><\/div>\n

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4.\t<\/span>Presentations were made by nine experts from different regions, including Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  The Meeting was attended by representatives of 61 civil society organizations from different regions of the world.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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5.\t<\/span>At the close of the Meeting, the participants adopted an NGO Statement and Plan of Action (see annex I).<\/p><\/div>\n

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II.\t<\/span>Opening statement<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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6.\t<\/span>Ibra Deguène Ka<\/strong>, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, stated that the Committee had a long tradition of active cooperation with NGOs and, in addition, had extended its relations to other sectors of civil society, parliaments, groups of parliamentarians, the private sector and the media in the framework of important initiatives.  He stressed that the role of civil society in educating their respective constituencies about the fundamental issues of the question of Palestine and in mobilizing public support for the Palestinian cause remained very important.  The Committee was particularly appreciative of those NGO contributions that were focused on mobilizing international solidarity with the Palestinian people and support for the achievement of its inalienable rights, as well as supporting the peace process and the objectives of the Committee.  The Committee was also appreciative of the work of those NGOs that provided emergency relief at the current difficult time for the Palestinian people.  He appealed to Israeli NGOs and activists that were part of the peace camp to pursue their activities energetically in order to better inform public opinion and provide an alternative to the dangerous course embarked upon by the Israeli Government.<\/p><\/div>\n

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7.\t<\/span>He pointed out that there was a greater need for sustained campaigns aimed at informing public opinion about the root causes of the conflict and the legitimate rights of the parties and promoting national and international action in support of the peace process, the effective implementation of the Israeli-Palestinian agreements, and a just and lasting peace in the region.  The <\/span>report of the Sharm el-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committe<\/a>e under former United States Senator George Mitchell constituted a feasible way out of the current crisis and deserved broad international backing.  Governments should be encouraged by parliaments, NGOs and public opinion to support the proposal to deploy international observers throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory to monitor the ceasefire and the implementation of the Mitchell Report.  In the months to come, civil society should support any initiatives to bring about a political process that would eventually lead the parties back to the negotiating table.  At that time, the efforts should be focused on the issues that were indispensable for a just and lasting solution, i.e., Jerusalem, settlements, refugees and borders, building on what had been reached in Camp David and Taba.  Promoting emergency assistance to the Palestinian people and rehabilitating the Palestinian economy should be another important area of civil society work.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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8.\t<\/span>Mr. Ka said that the Committee encouraged cooperation, coordination and networking among civil society organizations.  The Committee would maintain and develop its liaison with national, regional and international coordinating mechanisms accredited to it, in addition to the already established liaison with a large number of individual NGOs.  The Committee would continue the accreditation of new NGOs and their umbrella organizations and continue and intensify outreach efforts to civil society.  Periodic meetings of consultations with NGO representatives would contribute to further review and enhance the Committee’s programme of cooperation with NGOs.  He drew attention to a web site maintained by the Division for Palestinian Rights of the United Nations Secretariat, which served as a useful tool for information exchange and mobilization among NGOs active on the issue with features such as the NGO Action News<\/i> and the Calendar of Events<\/i>.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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III.  Plenary session <\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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9.\t<\/span>Allam Jarrar<\/strong>, Vice-President of the Palestinian Council for Justice and Peace, Ramallah, said that Palestinian NGOs, as an important component of Palestinian society, had contributed a great deal to the national struggle of the Palestinian people against the Israeli occupation.  Since the early 1960s, many charitable organizations had been functioning in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as in Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon.  The main task of NGOs at that time had been to alleviate suffering and poverty through the provision of basic services to Palestinians.  After the 1967 war, Palestinian NGOs had faced new challenges and developed their work accordingly.  The existing gap in the provision of services to the population had been widened as a result of Israeli measures aimed at making Palestinian life difficult, and Palestinian NGOs had started to intensify their work on the ground, expanding it to the fields of health, early childhood education, rehabilitation and social services in general.    <\/p><\/div>\n

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10.\t<\/span>He said that after the signing of the Declaration of Principles in 1993, Palestinian NGOs had started to adopt new policies: to continue to meet the needs of society and provide essential services for the poor, filling the gap where the Palestinian Authority had not been able to provide services; to develop social models in various fields and promote the models at the national level; to influence public policies to be inclusive and to serve the interests of Palestinian society; and to promote a democratic culture and influence democratic transformation within Palestinian society.  The scope of Palestinian NGOs had widened and diversified to include human rights organizations, lobbying and advocacy groups and self-interest groups.  According to one study, more than 1,200 NGOs were currently functioning in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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11.\t<\/span>Mr. Jarrar pointed out that Palestinian NGOs, in cooperation with international NGOs, had launched an initiative to send representatives of civil society from Europe and the United States to the Occupied Palestinian Territory as observers.  The purpose of the initiative was to allow the observers to witness the violations of Palestinian human rights committed by the Israeli army and armed settlers and to enable them to report realities on the ground back in their respective constituencies.  The initiative was also aimed at drawing international attention to the urgency of the current situation.  Experience in the past had shown that joint activities by Palestinian NGOs and international NGOs attracted more media coverage.  To support this initiative, Palestinian NGOs had formed an umbrella of various networks to coordinate with NGO networks in Europe and the United States.  He suggested that the Israeli peace movement join the initiative to strengthen its solidarity work.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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12.\t<\/span>Jeff Halper<\/strong>, Coordinator of the Israeli Committee against House Demolitions, Jerusalem, said that when his Committee, a coalition of 15 Israeli peace and human rights organizations, had been established five years ago, the whole attention in Israel had been focused on the peace process and therefore the occupation had become invisible.  The peace process had been invested with such hope, and people had tried to avoid the issues of settlement expansion, house demolition, land expropriation, effects of closures, or Israeli military actions against Palestinian civilians.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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13.\t<\/span>He recalled the guidelines decided on by the members of the Committee upon its establishment.  It had been decided to make the occupation the centre of all their activities and to resist the occupation.  He said that everything happening must be evaluated from the point of view of an occupation of one people by another.  The power dimensions must be central.  Until his Committee had been established, house demolitions had been implemented without any effective protests and had never become an international issue.  He described house demolitions as violating the very essence of a person.  For men, who were expected to protect their families and provide shelter for them, the demolition of their houses was a humiliation.  For women, the demolition of the domestic world was the demolition of the entire world.  For children, it was a traumatic experience.  His organization tried to make house demolitions an international issue by giving a voice and an expression to Palestinian victims and bringing the stories of the human tragedies out to the world public.  The Committee also decided to work only in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and only with Palestinians.  He said that without working through Palestinian organizations, Israeli organizations, even if they were on the left and sympathetic to Palestinians, would be replicating the occupation.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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14.\t<\/span>The target populations of their activities were twofold.  One was the Israeli public.  His Committee was trying to provide Israelis with an alternative image and show them a way out and a common ground.  He cautioned, however, that peace would not come from within Israel.  Therefore, his organization and other Israeli NGOs tried to bypass the Israeli public and link up directly to the international community, working with international journalists, lobbying diplomats, contacting embassies, participating in international forums, networking with NGOs all over the world and generating campaigns.  He emphasized that an end to the occupation would come about only by mounting international pressure on Israel.  The important role of the international community and the global NGO network was to generate opposition against the occupation in the respective constituencies.  Without international support, NGOs on the ground were isolated and powerless.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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15.\t<\/span>Ahmed Saad<\/strong>, Editor-in-Chief of the Al-Ittihad<\/i> newspaper, Haifa, drew attention to the retreat of many organizations that had previously been considered as forces for peace, and said that the action of NGOs was no longer commensurate with the level of the requirements on the ground.  He said that the Israeli Government, with the support of the United States, tried to equate the Palestinian victim and the Israeli aggressor.  Israel had succeeded in distorting the facts.  One example was the idea that at Camp David, the Palestinian party had wasted an opportunity for peace by rejecting the Israeli offers.  What Israel had actually offered had been an entity in which the Israeli idea of security would have been maintained and the questions of settlements, Jerusalem, refugees and others had been set aside.  Another example was that Israel had promoted the image of Palestinians as terrorists.  He maintained, however, that the Israeli occupation was the prime cause of every victim in the current situation, be it a Palestinian or an Israeli.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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16.\t<\/span>In order to convince public opinion in Israel and the international community of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, it was important to shed light on the reality.  Ever since the Madrid conference, the successive Israeli Governments, with the support of the United States, had refused to abide by the two basic principles of the Madrid process, namely the principle of land for peace and the binding character of the United Nations resolutions, specifically Security Council resolutions <\/span>242 (1967)<\/a> and <\/span>338 (1973)<\/a> and <\/span>General Assembly resolution 194 (III)<\/a>.  By resorting to procrastination and trickery, Israel tried to reopen negotiations on issues that had already been agreed upon by the both sides in order to draw concessions from the Palestinian side and take pieces off the agreements.  In conclusion, Mr. Saad said that Israeli and Palestinian peace forces in Israel were trying to set up the largest network of cooperation that was aimed, for example, at lifting the Israeli blockade of the Occupied Territory and putting an end to the cancerous settlement activities.  He maintained, however, that there should be greater coordination among NGOs.  <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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17.\t<\/span>José Antonio Gimbernat Ordeig<\/strong>, Chairman of the Federation of Human Rights Associations, Madrid, said that since the signing of the Declaration of Principles in 1993, Israel had continued to promote the construction of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, increasing the presence of settlers from 140,000 in 1993 to 200,000 in 2000.  This had been accompanied by an increase in the seizure of Palestinian lands coupled with greater control over natural resources as a whole.  In addition, Israel had maintained an economic blockade over the Palestinian population by consistently preventing the development of projects designed to strengthen Palestinian economic infrastructure and access of Palestinian workers to their jobs outside their towns.  Moreover, Israel had obstructed the efforts of the Palestinian Authority to build a seaport in Gaza, develop its heavy industry and export and import goods to and from third countries.  The situation had been seriously aggravated since September 2000 with the closures of the Palestinian Territory.  These Israeli policies had resulted in extreme poverty among a large number of families, in addition to the ravages caused by collective punishment of an entire population.  It was this desperate situation that was forcing certain sectors of Palestinian society to adopt extremist positions in their struggle against the occupation.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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18.\t<\/span>Over the past 54 years, the United Nations had adopted over 190 Security Council resolutions and approximately 400 General Assembly resolutions on the rights of the Palestinian people.  Israel had always refused to implement them.  He said that the United Nations was the only international body with the power to set into motion mechanisms that would guarantee the implementation of the resolutions on the question of Palestine.  For that reason, it was essential that the agreements signed between the two sides should be implemented within the framework of the United Nations.  Without the united efforts of the international community as a whole, it would not be possible to implement the United Nations resolutions.  His organization called upon the international community to pressure all the countries involved in the conflict, especially Israel and the United States, to accept that full compliance with the relevant United Nations resolutions was the sole framework for the peace plan.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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19.\t<\/span>Juan Carmelo Garciá Garciá<\/strong>, Secretary-General of the Spanish NGO Committee on the Question of Palestine, Madrid, recalled the active involvement of Spanish NGOs in the issues of the African continent, in particular their fight against the apartheid regime in South Africa.  Many Spanish groups considered the question of Palestine with scepticism as regards realistic prospects for a lasting peace.  He called upon the United Nations to establish a work plan to render effective the 1,200 civil society organizations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory that had specific proposals but sometimes lacked resources, and to allow international organizations that wanted to support the Palestinian cause to open up an efficient line of political, economic and technical assistance to strengthen Palestinian society.  This was necessary because Palestinians were not only the victims but also the only party who had the will to resolve the conflict.  He then called upon members of civil society, who were currently not united due to lack of coordination, to create an effective international front to exert pressure on the United Nations, the European Union and the Spanish Government.  A conference declaration was not enough, but an important first step for further action.     <\/p><\/div>\n

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20.\t<\/span>Don Betz<\/strong>, Chairman of the International Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine (ICCP), said that the most immediate issue for the Palestinians was protection.  Protection must become part of the daily working agenda of the United Nations, every Member State and NGOs committed to peace in the Middle East.  In view of the deteriorating situation, he proposed that one of the major outcomes of the NGO Meeting should be the commitment by the United Nations and the NGO network to convene as soon as possible an international meeting on protection for the <\/strong>Palestinian people.  The conference should seek to focus broad-spectrum global attention on the needs of the people and on the real human sufferings.  Courage must be summoned to resist the intense pressure that would be employed to sabotage such a meeting from occurring and to marginalize any of its results and resolutions.  Both planning and timeliness were essential.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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21.\t<\/span>Technology had become a fundamental asset in NGO work on the question of Palestine.  Email and web site connections offered instant communication and networking possibilities for NGO coordination.  The massive exchange of information via email could create an immediate critical mass of involved organizations.  Online petitions and expressions of concern were becoming the norm for NGO contacts with governmental decision makers, opinion leaders and the media.  On more than one occasion, government officials had communicated with the initiators of a particular campaign supporting Palestinian rights requesting that they desist since their advocacy efforts had produced an overwhelming response that had effectively frozen the recipient’s ability to process the inflow.  Coordinated use of this capability could make a distinct impression on the recipient.  For the first time in history, almost no politician was secure from the voice of civil society.  Some NGOs daily sent articles of interest and information about forthcoming activities to a wide range of NGOs both regionally and worldwide.  Newspaper editorials were circulated with requests for broad-based response.  Some would include specific talking points that could be used as a guide for anyone choosing to write, speak and be effective on the issues with targeted audiences.  Actions taken by governmental leaders in Israel, the United States and other States were scrutinized and coalitions of NGOs and their members were mobilized to reply en masse.  This was one of the methods by which civil society was being drawn together in the twenty-first century.<\/p><\/div>\n

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22.\t<\/span>Mr. Betz said that local groups pursued innovative and individualized plans of action.  He cited the example of a group of students at the University of California at Berkeley, Students for Justice on Palestine (SJP), which had adopted a strategy that had proved successful in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.  They were calling on the university to adopt a position on the question of Palestine parallel to its past stance on apartheid.  The SJP declared that it had become increasingly important for activists in the United States not only to draw attention to the daily atrocities committed by the State of Israel but also to hold institutions in the United States accountable for their seemingly endless supply of support and resources for the Israeli occupation forces.  He concluded that the NGO guardianship meant continuously relating the story of Palestinian issues.  One of the ways for NGOs to be practical and powerful was to enhance the bonds with the United Nations and to be part of the active support system for the Palestinian people.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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23.\t<\/span>María Trinidad Herrero<\/strong>, Sub-Dean for International and Institutional Affairs at the School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Spain, stressed the important role universities and university teachers could play in introducing young people to the ideals of peace, understanding and tolerance, thus creating responsible citizens and helping bring about positive change through dialogue.  She regretted the fact that Spanish universities were not among the most active as regards the question of Palestine, compared to other issues such as Western Sahara and the embargo against Cuba, which had a greater emotional appeal and historical proximity to the Spanish public.  Nevertheless, she enumerated several activities carried out by Spanish academia, including the training of Palestinian students, the organization of national and international conferences on the question of Palestine, research work performed in centres of Arabic and Islamic studies, the involvement of university staff in the work of NGOs providing humanitarian and other assistance, the dissemination of information through the media, and others.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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24.\t<\/span>Ms. Herrero further suggested a number of additional activities that could be undertaken, such as the sensitization of public opinion through special events, with the participation of experts but also of young people from the parties to the conflict; the public condemnation of human rights violations; and exchanges of university staff and students at all levels and cooperation in research and teaching projects.  She introduced her university’s initiative to hold a two-week campaign for the sensitization of civil society in the region of Murcia from 16 November (International Day of Tolerance) to 29 November (International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People) 2001, as well as a model United Nations for university students from Europe, Latin America and the Mediterranean under the sole theme “The road to peace in the Middle East”, in the spring of 2002.<\/p><\/div>\n

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25.<\/span>\t<\/span>Bernard Ravenel<\/strong><\/span>, Vice-Chairman of the European Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine (ECCP), described the work of the ECCP and highlighted the important role played by national NGO platforms that had evolved in several European countries.  Groups from France and Belgium were leading actors in Europe, but NGOs from Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Greece, Norway and Denmark were joining in.  Their common platform was firmly based on United Nations resolutions, in particular <\/span>General Assembly resolution 181 (II)<\/a>, as well as Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973).  Recent initiatives of the European NGOs had had to take into account the explosive situation in the region, and at the same time the decreasing interest of public opinion and reduced activities in support of the Palestinian people.  He described a concerted campaign by French and Belgian NGOs to put effective pressure on Israel by demanding that their parliamentarians refuse to ratify a EU-Israeli agreement on preferential trade as long as the Occupying Power perpetuated human rights violations. <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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26.\t<\/span>The ECCP had participated in the Euromed Civil Forum held in Marseilles in November 2000, attended by 200 NGOs, and the participants had unanimously adopted a programme of action on the question of Palestine, which had led to the establishment of a fact-finding mission to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  The report of the mission had been submitted to the French and European authorities.  There had been an appeal for signatures, and thousands had been received from Europeans, including large associations.  Another important initiative by Belgian NGOs supported by the Belgian Government and Parliament was the dispatch of a plane to Gaza carrying medical supplies for suffering Palestinian civilians.  Israeli authorities had refused to allow the plane to land at Gaza airport, despite interventions on the governmental level, and the goods had had to be transported over land from Egypt.  This initiative had drawn a lot of attention from public opinion in Belgium and other European countries.  Mr. Ravenel pointed out that the priority for future action should be put on ending the suffering of Palestinian civilians caused by the Israeli siege.  That would require international intervention in the form of an international protection force.  He announced the holding of a civil forum in Brussels, organized by the ECCP with the participation of some 120 NGOs.   <\/p><\/div>\n

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27.\t<\/span>Juan Carretero Ibáñez<\/strong>, Secretary-General, Organization of Solidarity of the Peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America, Havana, said that his organization offered solidarity to all peoples deprived of their fundamental rights and in particular to the Palestinian people, which needed multifaceted support from all the organizations, institutions, Governments and peoples of the world.  Living as pariahs on their own soil, under a regime of threats, assassinations and imprisonments, without any rights, the Palestinians had been left with only one option – to revolt; thence had arisen the intifada.  More than 50 years after the partition of Palestine by the United Nations and several years after Madrid and Oslo, the Palestinians still awaited a State of their own.  Instead, they found themselves locked up in a kind of bantustans, were bombarded, assassinated or imprisoned daily, while the Israelis continued their efforts to Judaize Jerusalem, expanded their settlements and blocked funds due to the Palestinian Authority, all this in utter disregard of United Nations resolutions and agreements reached.  The Palestinians, with the support of the Arab Group and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, had repeatedly attempted to obtain approval by the Security Council for the dispatch of observers to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, but they had been hindered by the opposition of the United States.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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28.\t<\/span>He presented the Plan of Action adopted at the Workshop of Latin American and Caribbean NGOs held in Havana the previous month, under the auspices of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, which, inter alia, referred to dissemination of information on the harsh reality faced by the Palestinians, a broad international mobilization to publicize Palestinian rights on the next International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People – 29 November, putting pressure on the United Nations to provide effective protection to the Palestinian people, and convening the Second International Conference of Solidarity with the Palestinian People from 21 to 23 June 2002 in Mexico.  He finally invited all organizations participating in the Madrid NGO Meeting to join forces with the Latin American and Caribbean NGOs in an “intifada of solidarity” with the Palestinian people.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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IV.  Closing statement <\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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29.\t<\/span>Ibra Deguène Ka<\/strong>, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, stressed the indispensability of the role of civil society organizations in achieving a just solution of the question of Palestine.  He expressed the hope that the important efforts of civil society organizations would be further intensified and broadened in view of the ongoing crisis in the region.  The challenge ahead was to ensure that the many practical ideas presented at the Meeting with regard to future action by international civil society were implemented.  First and foremost, in view of the daily hardship faced by the Palestinian people living in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the provision of emergency relief was crucial.  The Committee was appreciative of activities aimed at informing the public about the root causes of the conflict and the legitimate rights of the parties, and mobilizing international solidarity with the Palestinian people and support for the achievement of its inalienable rights.  The Committee was also appreciative of efforts to lobby the respective Governments to support the implementation of the recommendations of the Mitchell Report, as well as the deployment of international observers in the Occupied Territory.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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30.\t<\/span>Mr. Ka stated that the Committee was fully committed to continue its programme of cooperation with civil society, to organize international meetings and conferences, and to provide civil society organizations with information on United Nations assessments and action and on important activities of organizations in different parts of the world.  On the NGO web site maintained by the Division for Palestinian Rights of the United Nations Secretariat, the Committee would continue to inform civil society organizations about the latest activities by worldwide organizations through the NGO Action News<\/i>, and to keep them posted on upcoming meetings and events organized by the Committee and other organizations which were open to participation by civil society through the Calendar of Events<\/i>.  He expressed the hope that these features of the NGO web site would be of help in the efforts of civil society organizations to promote further coordination and networking with other organizations.  <\/p><\/div>\n

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Annex I<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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NGO Statement and Plan of Action <\/u><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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1.\t<\/span>We NGOs, gathered in Madrid on the tenth anniversary of the inauguration of the Madrid Peace Process, declare that the occupation of the Palestinian territories with its closures, settlements, military oppression and economic strangulation by Israel remains the single most prohibitive obstacle to peace.<\/p><\/div>\n

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2.\t<\/span>We contend that the immediate protection of the Palestinian civilian population by an international presence is imperative.  We urge the United Nations Security Council to immediately place such a force in Palestine to serve as a global watch and physical presence in order to reduce violence and break the culture of war.<\/p><\/div>\n

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3.\t<\/span>The United Nations and NGOs worldwide have developed a positive working relationship since the International Conference on the Question of Palestine in 1983. We are committed to strengthening the coordination with the United Nations in order to serve our common goals.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

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4.\t<\/span>We acknowledge and applaud the continuing development and usefulness of the United Nations web site on the Question of Palestine. It has become an increasingly effective and convenient tool for all those interested in this issue.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

5.\t<\/span>We gratefully acknowledge the results of the United Nations International Meeting on the Question of Palestine held in Madrid 17 and 18 July 2001.  The invited speakers provided important analytical frameworks and informative updates on the current situation on the ground in Palestine.  We thank the United Nations for including NGOs as observers at this meeting.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

6.\t<\/span>We mobilize our collective efforts on the Question of Palestine, as we have since 1983, on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions.  We are convinced that these resolutions offer the clearest pathway to a true and just peace for all in the region.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

7.\t<\/span>We support the European NGOs’ call for the suspension of the EU-Israeli association agreements as long as Israel violates human rights covenants and product origin agreements.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

8.\t<\/span>We further conclude that most of the world remains ignorant or misinformed about the significance of the Occupation and its brutal daily impact on the life of every Palestinian.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Therefore, our Plan of Action includes:<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\t<\/span>(a)\t<\/span>A United Nations NGO International Meeting on Protection of the Palestinian People. <\/i>Our Plan of Action includes a clear request to the United Nations through the Committee and the Division to convene as soon as possible a United Nations NGO International Meeting on Protection of the Palestinian People.  Such a request has been made by NGO representatives throughout this past year at various United Nations meetings and symposia. The goal is to concentrate NGO and public awareness on the immediate needs of the Palestinian people for such assistance and on the urgency for such intervention. We consider this request to be among the highest priorities.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\t<\/span>(b)\t<\/span>Public Awareness Campaign.<\/i> Focusing public awareness campaigns among the peoples of our countries on “making the Occupation visible.”  The campaign will focus on crucial elements of the Occupation and the situation of the Palestinians on the ground. Suggested subjects include: An International Campaign against the Occupation; a campaign for the Palestinian right to self-determination and the right of return; a campaign over Israel’s violations of human rights; campaign to urge Governments to fulfil their responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention; campaigns highlighting the plight of women and children in Occupied Palestine; a campaign to oppose the illegal presence, construction and expansion of Israeli settlements, a boycott of settlement products, as well as campaigns around issues such as house demolitions, the settlements, the closures and land expropriation.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tThe campaigns will effectively use relevant United Nations materials, as well as NGO publications exchanged among ourselves. They will also require the joint development of innovative materials pertinent to our campaigns: information films, power point and slide presentations, travelling exhibits, resource materials, a speakers’ bureau, a list of recommended web sites and the like. The materials will be presented as easy-to-use and attractive information kits.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t(c)\t<\/span>An International Civil Society Corps. <\/i>We NGOs are also exploring the possibility of establishing an International Civil Society Corps of volunteers including universities, academics as well as Palestinian and Israeli NGOs, to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, to monitor events on the ground and to participate in appropriate actions opposing the Occupation.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t(d)\t<\/span>An International NGO Solidarity Forum.<\/i> We propose that the United Nations collaborate with the NGO network in the convening of an International NGO Solidarity Forum to be held in Occupied Palestine during the coming year.  NGOs worldwide will give special attention to the annual International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on 29 November.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t(e)\t<\/span>We request more frequent consultations between the United Nations and NGO networks and coordinating bodies, continued assistance with securing United Nations publications and collaboration on the development of the annual calendar of events and meetings for NGOs sponsored by the United Nations.  In this way we NGOs will be able to more effectively mobilize NGO support for and participation at United Nations meetings such as this one in Madrid.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n

The NGOs present at the Madrid meeting express their sincere appreciation to the United Nations Committee and the Division for hosting this meeting. In particular we want to publicly acknowledge the long-standing friendship and encouragement we have received from the Chair of the Committee, Ambassador Ibra Deguène Ka. His unwavering support of NGO efforts on behalf of Palestine has been an important element in the relationship between the NGO network and the United Nations.<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Madrid, 19 July 2001<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n

Annex II<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

List of Participants <\/u><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Speakers<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Mr. Don Betz<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Chairman, International Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine <\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Mr. Juan Carmelo Garcia Garcia<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Secretary-General, Spanish NGO Committee on the Question of Palestine<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Madrid<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Mr. Juan Carretero Ibañez<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Secretary-General, Organization of Solidarity of the Peoples of Africa and Latin America<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Havana<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Mr. José Antonio Gimbernat Ordeig<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Chairman, Federation of Human Rights Associations<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Madrid <\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Mr. Jeff Halper<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Coordinator, Israeli Committee against House Demolitions <\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jerusalem<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Ms. Mariá-Trinidad Herrero<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Sub-Dean for International and Institutional Affairs, School of Medicine, University of Murcia<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Murcia, Spain <\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Mr. Allam Jarrar<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Vice-President, Palestinian Council for Justice and Peace<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Ramallah<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Mr. Bernard Ravenel<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Vice-Chairman, European Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Paris<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Mr. Ahmed Saad<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Editor-in-Chief, Al-Ittihad <\/i>newspaper<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Haifa<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Civil society organizations <\/u><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Afro-Asian Peoples’ Solidarity Organization (AAPSO)\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Al-Ittihad <\/i><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

All Africa Students Union (AASU)\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ)\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Asociación Hispano-Palestina “Jerusalem”\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Asociación para la Cooperación con el Sur “ACSUR” Las Segovias<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Asociación pro Derechos Humanos de España (APDHE)\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Caritas Española\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Centro de Iniciativas de Cooperación al Desarrollo<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Charisma Development Foundation\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the World Council of Churches<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Communities Forestry and Social Development Organization (COFOSODE) \t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Comunidad Bahá’í de España\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Confederación Mundial del Trabajo (CMT)\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Cooperación con el África Austral\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Cruz Roja Española\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

European Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine (ECCP)\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Europeos Solidarios<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Federation of Human Rights Associations \t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

French Platform of NGOs for Palestine <\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Fundación Araguaney\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Fundación Internacional Olof Palme\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Fundación Promoción Social de la Cultura\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Helsinki España\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Instituto de Estudios Políticos para América Latina y África<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Instituto de Investigación, Documentación y Derechos Humanos de la República Dominicana<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

International Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine (ICCP)\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

ISCOD<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Israeli Committee against House Demolitions (ICAHD)  \t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Liga Pro Derechos Humanos\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Loyalty of Human and Land Movement<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Madhok Foundation<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mapa Inmundi\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Médecins du Monde-International\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Movimiento por la Paz, el Desarme y la Libertad\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mundo sin Guerras y sin Violencia<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Nav Srishti<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Organization of Justice and Peace <\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Organization of Solidarity of the Peoples of Africa and Latin America (OSPAAAL)<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) \t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) <\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Palestinian Council for Justice and Peace (PCJP)\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Palestinian Democratic Union “FIDA”\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Palestinian Federation of Women’s Action\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Palestinian Hydrology Group (PHG)<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Paz y Cooperación<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Paz y Tercer Mundo\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Popular Art Centre<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Profesionales Pro Paz Israel-Palestina en Mexico<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Save the Global Masses Organization\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Solidaridad con el Tercer Mundo (Sotermun) \t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Solidaridad Internacional\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Solidarios para el Desarrollo\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Spanish NGO Committee on the Question of Palestine <\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Unión Sindical Obrera (USO)\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Universidad Complutense de Madrid <\/p><\/div>\n

\n

University of Murcia <\/p><\/div>\n

\n

World Confederation of Labour<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

World YWCA\t\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\n

_____<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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