Date: 10.09.2008

On September 10th, 2008, The Palestinian Peace Coalition-Geneva Initiative held a workshop in the Gaza Strip, addressing the closure in Gaza and its effect on NGOs civil society institutions.

60 people attended the workshop, hearing lectures by Deputy Vice-President Ismail Al-Ashkar of the change and reform bloc in the Legislative Council, Mr. Mohsen Abu Ramadan, Director of the Center for Arab development Agriculture, Ms. Alhamlawi, Upland Development Forum Chairman, and Hussein Abu Mansour, Director of the Association of Jabaliya.

All speakers criticized the attacks on more than 200 civil society institutions in the Gaza Strip, explaining that they are illegal and a violation of the basic rights of democratic institutions.

They demanded that civil institutions in the West Bank and Gaza be spared and be giver political freedom to act in accordance with the law. They called on all parties to respect the operational independence of civil society organizations.