Seeing both sides
In the frame of their first Israel-Palestine trip as newly elected parliamentarians, the two young Greens, Sven-Christian Kindler MoP (22) and Jan Phillip Albrecht MEP (27), spent two days in the Westbank and East Jerusalem in order to get a first-hand impression of the situation “behind the wall”.
As young committed parliamentarians, both are very interested in the political developments in the Middle East especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the realms of their mandates they are politically active in shaping the relations between Germany/ Europe and the state of Israel as well as the Palestinian Authority.
Starting the visit with an introduction into the political and humanitarian situation in the Westbank and the Gaza Strip by OCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Kindler and Mr. Albrecht got a comprehensive insight into the effects of the ongoing occupation on the lives of the Palestinian people and their prospects for future. An impressive presentation focusing on the different ways of closure of the Palestinian Territories prepared the parliamentarians for their visit of the Westbank where they would face these restrictions to free movement themselves.
Insider information and political analysis
After arriving in Ramallah, the delegation met with the political analyst George Giacaman, the director of Muwatin, the Palestinian Institute for the study of democracy, and an important strategic partner of hbs. The main focus of this discussion lay on the role of the European Union in pushing forward a peace process between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Especially for Mr. Albrecht as a member of the European Parliament, this exchange of opinions and views turned out to be very useful for assessing and the obstacles and chances for the EU as a regional player.
Meeting the youth
Mr. Kindler and Mr. Albrecht did not only get an insight to high-level political positions but joined also a group discussion of young and dynamic Palestinians who write about their personal experiences and points of view on the social and political situation of their environment.
The next morning was again reserved for the official politics.
German Representative to the occupied Palestinian Territory, Mr. Dr. Burhkardt, explained the German position in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, and their support for more balanced negotiations between the two parties and to built up capacities within the Palestinian Authority.
Hebron – the other side
An impression left the tour of TIPH, the Temporary International Presence to the City of Hebron. The very in depth presentation gave the delegation a good introduction to the tense situation in this City which is dominated by the conflict surrounding about 500 Jewish settlers occupying houses right in the city center.
Another perspective on the impact of settlement activities was given through a field-tour briefing by Xavier Eid from the Negotiation Support Unit of the Palestinian Authority, who comes and lives from/in Bethlehem. Watching the construction work from a distance less then five meters , just separated by a fence of barbwire, was a very intense and direct "witnessing of an ongoing war crime", so Xavier Eid.
Back to Jerusalem
On the way back to Jerusalem and the last meeting with Dima Nashashibi, who is the deputy director of WCLAC, another longterm strategic partner of hbs, the two visitors saw the roads that have been closed for Palestinian use, and the checkpoints that Palestinians are not allowed to pass without a special permit. The discussion with Mrs. Dima focused mainly on the difficulties of an organization faces defending women rights. Still, the evening ended with a positive outlook for the improvement of women's situation in the Palestinian Territories, not at least thanks to successful longterm projects, such as the SALMA project against (domestic) violence against women which has been implemented over seven years by hbs and its partner organizations in the Palestinian Territories, like WCLAC, Egypt and Jordan.
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Visit of Sven-Christian Kindler MoP and Jan Phillip Albrecht ME