FES-organized Study Visit to Brussels

The visit was organized in order for Ms. Bakry to share IPCC’s valuable insights into planning rights in Area C of the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem as well as introduce her to the workings of selected European Union Institutions.

Among others, Ms. Bakry met with representatives from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), European External Action Service (EEAS), the Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), the Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) and members of the European Parliament.

During intense discussions and meetings Ms. Bakry was able to present IPCC’s work in Area C and East Jerusalem and elaborate on the current situation as well as the challenges and opportunities, especially considering the role of the Israeli Civil Administration (ICA) and the Jerusalem Municipality. She was able to share IPCC’s perspective on the role of the EU and the importance of a continued support to vulnerable communities that are subject to house demolitions and displacement.

Interlocutors expressed a keen interest in the work of IPCC and on being updated about the developments in the Palestinian Territories on a regular basis. Besides establishing contacts between European policy makers and IPCC, Ms. Bakry was able to develop a number of recommendations for decision makers within the EU that will enrich future discussions. The FES Palestine office would like to thank all organizations and individuals involved as well as our colleagues at the FES Brussels office for their time, effort and cooperation.