A mission of FIDH visited Israel and the OPT between 25 June and 2 July 2006. The mission was in close coordination with Medecins du Monde, which in parallel conducted an evaluation of the evolution of the health situation in the Gaza Strip on the basis of a large inquiry among the medical and health care personnel of hospitals and clinics. The mission was set up in order to examine the situation of economic and social rights in Gaza and the West Bank almost a year after Israel ‘disengaged’ from the Gaza strip and three months after Israel and the international community decided to suspend all contact with the Palestinian Authority government and to interrupt all aid channelled to and via that government. Read more about Report: The impact of the economic strangulation on human rights in the OPT 

The International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) on Friday condemned the scale of sanctions imposed on the Palestinians through the suspension of direct international aid. “In effect the Palestinian people have been subjected to economic sanctions — the first time that an occupied people have been so treated,” the FIDH said in a preliminary report following a two-week mission to the Palestinian territories. “Inevitably this economic strangulation has had a severe impact on the economic life of Palestinians and their human rights.” Read more about International Federation of Human Rights slams sanctions against Palestinians 

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights and Al-Haq, express their deepest concern regarding the attacks by the Israeli Army against the Jericho Prison on Tuesday the 14th March 2006. On Tuesday, the 14th March 2006 the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) stormed the Palestinian National Authority’s detention center in Jericho. The aim was to seize six detainees wanted by Israel, in particular Ahmed Sa’adat, claimed to be the mastermind behind the killing of the Israeli Minister of Tourism Rehavam Ze’evi, in 2001, together with Fuad Shubaki, wanted by Israel on charges of smuggling weapons in Palestine and four others. Read more about The Israeli attack Jericho: Elections not to be won by force 

FIDH and OMCT, welcome the decision by the Military Parole Committee on July 14, 2004 to reduce the sentences of Haggai Matar, Matan Kaminer, Shimri Zameret, Adam Naor and Noam Bahat, conscientious objectors to the occupation of the Palestinian territories. Initially scheduled to be released in January 2005, they will now be released September 15, 2004. On March 11, 2003 Ben Artzi was the first Israeli conscientious objector to be court martialled since the 1970�s. Matar, Kaminer, Zameret, Naor and Bahat were court martialled in April for refusing to enlist in the army due to their selective conscientious objection to the occupation of the Palestinian territories. Read more about Israeli conscientious objectors receive reduced sentences 

From November 17-23, 2003, a delegation of three representatives of Forefront, the World Organisation Against Torture and the International Federation for Human Rights, visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. Their findings show how complex, challenging and risky the work of human rights NGOs is in such an environment where all human rights are at risk, and the extent to which human rights defenders themselves may be exposed to violations of their human rights. Read more about Conditions and challenges experienced by human rights defenders