NGO Monitor Analysis (Vol. 3 No. 4) 15 December 2004

European Commission Funds Physicians for Human Rights Palestinian Prisoners Conference

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The European Commission funded a 9 December 2004 conference in Tel Aviv organized by Physicians for Human Rights - Israel - "Breaking the Body and the Spirit - Palestinian Prisoners and Detainees in Israeli Custody." According to PHR-I, the conference dealt with "the issue of Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli custody and their role in national struggles and reconciliation processes. Speakers from North Ireland, South Africa and the occupied Palestinian territories will participate, films will be screened and testimonies of prisoners still in jail will be read throughout the event."

In keeping with PHR-I's radical agenda and exploitation of human rights rhetoric, there is no acknowledgement of the link between the prisoners and terrorism. Instead, terrorism is described as part of a "national struggle" and the terrorists elevated to the status of political prisoners - with the assistance and support of the European Commission.