On Monday January 5, 2004, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) refused to allow the entry of a multinational group of women activists, affiliated with Women for Peace, into the Gaza Strip through the Beit Hanoun/Erez crossing.
The group reached the West Bank earlier and conducted several activities in solidarity with the Palestinian victims of human rights violations and in support of the peace efforts in the region.
They took part in the campaign to stop the separation wall in the West Bank.
Forty women arrived at the Erez crossing after receiving a message from the Israeli forces that the entire group would not be allowed into Gaza.
However, they were restricted at the crossing for five hours before they decided to return to the West Bank.
Israeli women were among the group.
The group was scheduled to conduct field visits at the locations of home demolitions and to meet with families of victims.
They were also to meet with human rights organizations and activists in the Gaza Strip.
They would have stayed at homes in refugee camps and near borders and settlements.
The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns Israel’s decision, which comes in the context of broad restrictions on the movement of individuals and goods and the isolation of entire areas in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The restrictions on international citizens entry to the Gaza Strip and on Palestinians within group ages is in violation of human rights standards.