Russell Tribunal on Palestine

GUE/NGL MEP Marisa Matias will host the Russell Tribunal on Palestine in the European Parliament on the 25th of September, from 2 to 4pm.

RUSSELL TRIBUNAL ON PALESTINE – SPECIAL HEARING  25/9/14

 

Next Thursday, September 25th, in  the European Parliament, GUE/NGL MEP Marisa Matias will welcome Ken Loach, Roger Waters, Vandana Shiva, David Sheen, Richard Falk, Max Blumenthal, Mohamed Omer and Michael Mansfield, members of the jury of the Tribunal Russell on Palestine,  to present the conclusions of the extraordinary session.

 

The special hearing in the European Parliament will take place from 2 to  4pm in room ASP5G3. Director Ken Loach will open the session and the musician and founder of Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, will close it.

According to a press release issued by the Russell Tribunal:

“The Russell Tribunal’s extraordinary session on Gaza will examine Israeli attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure during ‘Operation Protective Edge’ in July and August of this year.

Human Rights Watch recently accused Israel of committing war crimes in a report analysing three attacks on schools in Jabalya, Beit Hanoun and Rafah. The attacks killed 45 people, including 17 children.

This is not the first time that a human rights probe has made such claims. United Nations and Amnesty International investigations have also found evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

According to the United Nations, 2,131 Palestinians were killed during Israel’s latest 50-day offensive. Of those 501 were children, about 70 per cent of them aged under 12 according to UNICEF.

In the same period, the Ministry of Health in Gaza recorded 10,918 people injured including 3,312 children and 2,120 women. According to the United Nations, 244 schools were shelled and one used as a military base. Al Mezan, a human rights organisation, reported at least 10,920 houses damaged or destroyed of which 2,853 were completely destroyed. Furthermore 161 mosques, eight hospitals – resulting in six being taken out of service, 46 NGO 50 fishing boats, and 244 vehicles were also hit.

The Tribunal will hear evidence from experts and witnesses who were on the ground during the attack including British Channel 4 News journalist Paul Mason on the targeting of school shelters, PCHR Director Raji Sourani on the targeting of civilians, surgeons Mads Gilbert and Mohammed Abou-Arab on the attacks on medical facilities and workers, journalist Martin LeJeune on the targeting of industrial zones and factories, and Ashraf Mashharawi on attacks on government energy and waste infrastructure.”

 

GUE/NGL press contacts:

Gay Kavanagh + 32 473 842320 [email protected]
Gianfranco Battistini + 32 475 646628 [email protected]