On Thursday morning, 13 November 2008, a delegation of EU consuls was denied access into the Gaza Strip by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), which continues to seal off the Strip for the 8th day in a row.
As the Gaza siege continues, there is a shortage of medical supplies, food, fuel, vaccines and fodder.
The IOF's hindrance of Gaza's ability to stockpile grains or fuel during the past years makes Gaza's population highly vulnerable even to short closures.
Since France is the current President of the EU, the French Consulate General in Jerusalem (Consulat Général de France à Jérusalem) organized a visit for EU consuls and representatives of EU member states to the Gaza Strip.
The delegation was expected to inspect the humanitarian conditions.
It was scheduled to meet with the director of Al Mezan Center for Human Rights and representatives of human rights organizations.
Additionally, it had arranged a meeting with human rights defenders whose work had been impeded by Israel's restrictions on their movement and with a number of businessmen and others concerned with the humanitarian condition.
The EU delegation was also scheduled to visit the Bedouin Village in Beit Lahia in north Gaza to take a closer look at the conditions of the village's residents and the sewage treatment plant, where there are warnings against a potential disaster could strike the village again.
It is noteworthy that the EU funds a project to move sewage treatment plant and build an alternative plant in eastern Jabalia in the North Gaza Governorate.
The EU delegation waited at Erez Crossing for nearly 90 minutes, from 9:00am to 10:30am, to enter into the Strip.
The IOF denied the delegation's access into Gaza and did not explain the reasons behind its decision.
This is the second time in one week that the IOF denies the EU delegation's access into Gaza.
The IOF had denied its access into the Strip on 5 November 2008.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights strongly condemns denying the EU delegation's visit to the Gaza Strip and maltreating them.
It is highly concerned with the incidents of banning EU diplomats from visiting Gaza.
The Center considers it an attempt to conceal the violations of civilians' human rights, especially the catastrophic impacts of the tightened siege and blockade imposed on the Strip.
Al Mezan reiterates its condemnation of the ongoing closure of Gaza borders and warns against the catastrophic humanitarian repercussions of the siege.
The Center calls the international community to take urgent action to end the collective punishment of the Palestinian population of the Occupied Palestinian Territories in general and the Gaza Strip in particular.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights reasserts that the international community's continuous silence encourages the IOF not only to continue its gross, systematic violations of the rules of the IHL and principles of human rights, but also to deal with the international community with contempt and ignore the rules of the IHL.
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