Delegation from IPU visits bombed PLC headquarters

A delegation from the inter-parliamentary union (IPU) headed by its secretary-general Anders Johnson visited Tuesday the bombed headquarters of the PLC and witnessed the size of destruction caused by Israeli air strikes during the war on the Gaza Strip.

The delegation was received by Palestinian lawmakers Salah Al-Bardawil and Sayed Abu Musameh who in turn briefed the visiting team about the Israeli war crimes committed in Gaza in addition to the imprisonment conditions that the kidnapped Palestinian MPs live in, and handed the members CDs with information of the jailed MPs.

For their part, the delegates expressed shock at seeing the magnitude of destruction and the brutality of aggression which affected all walks of life in Gaza and expressed great sympathy with the Palestinian people and their MPs imprisoned in Israeli jails.

Head of the delegation Johnson said that the IPU is ready to assist in the upcoming Palestinian elections, and to work on lifting the siege on the Gaza people and getting the imprisoned MPs released.

MP Bardawil urged the delegates to relay the picture of the Israeli crimes to their countries and to pressure their parliaments to boycott the Israeli parliament until it recognizes the Palestinian rights and lifts the siege on Gaza.

The delegation hailed the flexibility and wisdom of the members of the Hamas parliamentary bloc and promised to confirm the membership of the PLC in the IPU.

The delegation also expressed willingness to train and qualify the Palestinian lawmakers.

In another context, the Egyptian authorities are still blocking for the third consecutive day the entry of a British medical delegation to the Gaza Strip.

The PIMA Palestine reported Tuesday that the British delegation which includes 12 doctors is the second delegation which is sent by the institution, adding that the delegation brought with them a number of necessary medical equipment in addition to medicines.

The PIMA said that the delegation members who left Britain last Saturday are still at the Rafah border crossing and are not allowed into Gaza despite the fact they already coordinated with the British and Egyptian authorities.