At approximately 2pm on Sunday 28 November 2010, Palestinian police stationed at the Customs Checkpoint near Erez crossing prevented two Fatah leaders, Abdullah Al Efranji and Rawhi Fattouh, from passing the checkpoint to enter the Gaza Strip.
The two figures were on their way from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian police stopped the two after checking their identity.
The police asked them to wait and, thirty minutes later, informed them that they were not permitted to pass through the checkpoint and enter the Strip.
The Gaza Government and its Ministry of Interior stated that the prevention of the two Fatah leaders from entering the Strip was just a reaction to the violations committed by the Ramallah Government against Hamas movement and its members in the West Bank.
The human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) has deteriorated since the Palestinian internal split started in June 2007.
Politically-motivated arrests have continued in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, particularly after a Palestinian armed attack against Israeli settlers on Tuesday 31 August 2010.
The Ramallah Government described the arrests as not being of a ‘political nature’ but a ‘security’ one.
Recently, the Ramallah Government’s security apparatuses arrested Mrs.
Tamam Abu As-Su'uod who is teacher.
The Ramallah Government has also continued to deprive dozens of persons who are believed to be supporters of Hamas Movement in the Gaza Strip from obtaining passports.
In return, the Gaza Government has summoned hundreds of Fatah members and confiscated their passports.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns preventing two Fatah leaders from entering the Gaza Strip.
Al Mezan reiterates its condemnation of the on-going campaign of political arrests in the West Bank.
It also condemns the continuous violations of Palestinian citizens' right to obtain passports and depriving citizens of their right to free movement and travel by the two Palestinian governments.
The fact that one Government acts in violation of the law and human rights does not, and must not, justify violations by the other.
Al Mezan calls on the two Governments to ensure respect of the law and human rights, and to work seriously to achieve national reconciliation and unity.
This is a crucial first step towards democratic elections and brining back political unity to the Palestinian people in oPt.
The two Governments’ pretending of wanting to reach reconciliation while their acts on the ground continue to deepen the internal split do not help Palestinians achieve unity and end the serious violations of human rights emanating from it.
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