The Arab Organisation for Human Rights (AOHR) in Britain has recently released a report on the condition of Palestinian detainees in Egyptian jails. MEMO has gained access to the document which records the names and abuses to which scores of young Palestinians were subjected.

Report:

Israel's recent massacre of activists on the 'freedom flotilla' has provided a historic turning point in the way the siege on Gaza is viewed by many. This change in attitude is attested to by the hefty price willing to be paid by activists aboard the flotilla who originated from thirty-two different countries. The current worldview is that the inhabitants of Gaza deserve to be treated as human beings.

MEMO Response to Ministry of Justice Consultation

Introduction

The Middle East Monitor (MEMO) is an independent media research institution founded in the United Kingdom to foster a fair and accurate coverage in the Western media of Middle Eastern issues and in particular the Palestine Question.

We have conducted in-depth research on arrest warrant and universal jurisdiction developments on different levels, both in the United Kingdom and in other European countries. In December 2009, we organised an international conference on universal jurisdiction at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, which was attended by prominent lawyers, academics and journalists working in the field. We have traced how, further to Israeli pressure, several European countries have reformed their universal jurisdiction legislation in order to make it harder to prosecute alleged war criminals. We regard universal jurisdiction as a very powerful tool in the context of the Israel/Palestine conflict, since the Israeli Supreme Court does not adequately conduct investigations of violations of international law.

We welcome the Ministry of Justice consultation and are responding to it in the hope that the United Kingdom remains committed to the rule of law and to its international legal obligations and that the Government's proposals do not go ahead.

Liberal Democrats Fact sheet on Israel/Palestine and the political parties - Download Here

Arab Organization for Human Rights in UK

Special report about the killing of tunnel workers AOHR 7-1-2010
Away from eye witnesses In the name of sovereignty, the Egyptian government sprays poisonous gas to hunt for and kill tunnel workers on the border with the Gaza Strip

Summary

Of the 265 kilometers, which is the length of the borders between Egypt and Palestine (1), the Egyptian government is taking strict measures along 10 km only, which is the length of borders between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, under the pretext of protecting Egyptian national security. They claim that the measures taken on the border are non-negotiable sovereignty measures. Meanwhile, throughout the remaining 255 km, Egypt cannot move a rock without taking permission from the Israeli government. In addition, it cannot practice that same policy at the Gaza Strip borders expect to implement practices approved by the Israeli government in order to confront African immigrants, about whom we’ll mention later.