Committee on Foreign Affairs The Secretariat 1 November 2012 COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AD-HOC DELEGATION VISIT TO ISRAEL 29 OCTOBER-1 NOVEMBER 2012 MONDAY 29 OCTOBER 2012 FINAL PROGRAMME 17:30 Departure from hotel to EU Delegation to Israel 18:00-18:30 Debriefing by H.E., Ambassador Andrew Standley on the latest state of play in EU-Israel relations, political developments in Israel, the draft Prawer Plan and EU programmes promoting the socio-economic mainstreaming of Bedouin communities into Israeli society (venue: EU Delegation to Israel - Paz Tower 15th - 16th floors, 5-7 Shoham Street, Ramat Gan). Contact: Ambassador Andrew Standley +972 (0)3 6000902 GSM +972 54 2240771 Françoise Attal GSM +972 54 2220935 18:30-19.30 Debriefing by Dr Clinton Bailey on Bedouin heritage, land rights and the hurdles to socio-economic integration into Israeli society (venue: EU Delegation to Israel - Paz Tower 15th - 16th floors, 5-7 Shoham Street, Ramat Gan). Contact: Ambassador Andrew Standley +972 (0)3 6000902 GSM +972 54 2240771 Françoise Attal GSM +972 54 2220935 19:45 Departure from EU Delegation to Israel to Hotel Dan Tel Aviv 20:00-23:00 Working dinner with Representatives of Israeli civil society - hosted by the Delegation of the Working Group on the Middle East (venue: Hotel Dan Tel Aviv, 99 HaYarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63432 ). Contact: Françoise Attal GSM +972 54 2220935 Dan Hotel Tel Aviv +972-3-5202525 23:30 Departure to hotel (Sheraton Tel Aviv Hotel and Towers) B-1047 Brussels - Tel +32 2 28 32570 - Fax +32 2 28 49013 F-67070 Strasbourg - Tel +33 3 88 1 72346 - Fax +33 3 88 1 76902
TUESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2012 7:15 Check-out, Meeting in the lobby and Departure from hotel to Beeresheba 08:30 09:30 Working Breakfast and Debriefing on Bedouin heritage and socioeconomic challenges in the Bedouin unrecognized villages in the Negev Dr. Thabet Abu Rass (Adalah) Attorney Suhad Bishara (Adalah) Haia Noach (The Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality) (venue: Office of Adalah in Beeresheba, 8A Henrietta Sold Street, First Floor, above the Bank Discount - right across from the District Court) contacts: Office +972.8.665 0740 - Nadia Ben-Youssef +972.54 566 2300. Overview by civil society leaders of the history and human rights challenges in the unrecognized villages in the Naqab; including policies of displacement and home demolitions. 09:50 10:50 Visit to the Unrecognized Village of Wadi el-naam Wadi el-naam is the largest unrecognized village in the Naqab, with nearly 10,000 residents. The village is located near 2 toxic industrial/electric parks and faces unique challenges in addition to the reality of "unrecognition" including no basic infrastructure, and denial of access to water, electricity, sewage, safe roads, education etc. The village recently received notice that the primary schools will be dismantled in 2013 and the children transferred to a government-planned township to study. Here the delegation will meet with Sheikh Labad Abu Afash. 11:00 11:10 View of the Unrecognized Village of Assir and Metropolitan Beer el-sabe The unrecognized village of Assir, with a population of 2,300 inhabitants, lies just outside the city of Beer el-sabe (Be er Sheva), and while the residents are counted in the Beer el-sabe census, the Arab Bedouin citizens are deliberately denied access to all basic services and infrastructure. Under the Prawer Plan (in conjunction with the Metropolitan Plan of Be er Sheva) the village of Assir will be destroyed and the population moved to the government township of Segev Shalom. 11:30 12:00 Visit to the Abu Basma (recently-recognized) village of Abu Tlul Abu Tlul is a "recently recognized Abu Basma village. Officially, Abu Tlul is in the "process of recognition," though the village still today lacks running water, electricity, roads, sewage, and other basic 2
infrastructure. Located at the heart of the Siyag region, the village is the site of an important new development in education for Arab Bedouin students in the Naqab. After a 7 year legal struggle, the Ministry of Education opened the first high school in Abu Tlul on 27 August 2012. The delegation will meet with Attiyah Al-Assam. 12:10-13:00 Lunch in the unrecognized village of Khashem Zane The unrecognized village of Khashem Zane is an ancestral village that existed long before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The village of 2,300 people is threatened by the planned extension of Route 6 (the major tollroad in Israel), which will pass through 6 unrecognized villages. The delegation will be welcomed by Attiyah Al-Athamin and his family, who will also host a traditional Bedouin lunch. 13:30 14:40 The Unrecognized Villages of Atir-Umm el-hieran With 1,000 residents, the villages of Atir-Umm el-hieran were established in 1956 after the communities were displaced from their lands in the Western Negev. Today, the government wants to relocate the communities to the government-planned town of Hura, and establish the Jewish town of Hiran and expand a forest on the lands of Umm el-hieran and Atir, respectively. Adalah has been working with the villages for over 8 years fighting evacuation lawsuits, and home demolition orders. The delegation will have an opportunity to meet with Salim Abu el-qian. 15:00 17:00 Expert Roundtable in the government-planned township of Hura One of the latest planned Bedouin townships, Hura is the most developed of the 7 planned towns, and an excellent example of the consequences of forced urbanization. Here the delegation will participate in an expert roundtable with lawyers, academics, and advocates focusing on the land, planning and socioeconomic rights of Arab Bedouin citizens of Israel. 17:30 Departure for Jerusalem 19:30 Arrival in Jerusalem and hotel check-in (American Colony Hotel) Free evening 3
WEDNESDAY 31 OCTOBER 2012 08:45 Meeting in the lobby of the Hotel and departure for BIMKOM 09:30 11:00 Meeting with Mr Alon Cohen - Lifshitz of BIMKOM/ Planners for Planning Rights on the situation in East Jerusalem and Area C. BIMKOM is an Israeli non-profit organisation set up by planning professionals seeking to enhance the links between civil rights, social justice and the planning process in Israel and the West Bank. (venue: BIMKOM office, 36 Azza (Gaza) road, Jerusalem) Contact: Alon Cohen-Lifshitz +972 2 5669655 12:00 13:30 Working Lunch with Prof. Ruth Kark and Dr. Seth Fratzman of Hebrew University of Jerusalem at Mount Scopus on the historical aspects of Bedouin lands and the notion of indigeneity. (venue: Anna Ticho House Restaurant, 9, Harav Kook Street, Jerusalem) Contact: Professor Ruth Kark +972 2 6434820 Dr Seth Fratzman GSM +972 57 8554551 Anna Ticho House restaurant +972 2 6244186 14:15 Departure for UNRWA East Jerusalem Headquarters 14:00 15:00 Debriefing by Mr Felipe Sanchez, UNRWA Director for West Bank Operations on West Bank Bedouin communities and Negev Bedouin communities in a comparative perspective (i.e. history, legal status and protection issues) and specific outstanding issues related the West Bank Bedouins (Venue: UNRWA Office, 21 Shlomo Zalman Shragai, Jerusalem) Contact: Shawna Clarke +972 2 5891615 GSM +972 54 168347 15:00 15:30 Travel to the Bedouin community of Al Jabal and briefing en route by Ms Nicola Harrison, UNRWA Operations Office Al Jabal is the location where a group of 150 refugee Bedouin families were transferred from their rural kinship groups into one centralised semi-urban location by the Israeli authorities in several waves starting from 1997 onwards. 15:30 16:15 Short tour of Al Jabal and meeting with Al Jabal Community Representatives 16:15 16:30 Travel to the Bedouin community of Khan Al Ahmar and briefing en route by Ms Nicola Harrison, UNRWA Operations Office 16:30 17:30 Short tour of Khan Al Ahmar and meeting with Khan Al Ahmar Representatives Khan al Ahmar is a rural Bedouin community (kinship of 22 families) which is going to be transferred to a centralised semi-urban location within the next 12 months. 4
17:30 18:00 Return to Jerusalem and briefing en route by Ms Nicola Harrison, UNRWA Operations Office 18:30 19:30 Debriefing by H.E., Ambassador John Gatt-Rutter on the latest state of play in EU-Palestinian Authorities relations, political developments in the West Bank and Gaza and outstanding issues with regard to East Jerusalem and Area C (venue: EU Delegation to the West Bank, Gaza and UNRWA - George Adam Street 5, Jerusalem) Contact: Ambassador John Gatt-Rutter +972 2 5415888 Ms Julia Koch, Head of Political and Press section +972 (0)2 5415874 GSM +972 54 8024916 Ms Maha Husseini, Assistant +972 (0)2 5415876 GSM +972 54 8024925 19:45 Departure for Working Dinner (at the hotel of the delegation) 21:00 23:30 Working dinner with Diplomatic United Nations and UNRWA staff - hosted by the Delegation of the Working Group on the Middle East (venue: American Colony Hotel, 1 Louis Vincent Street, Jerusalem 97200) 5
THURSDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2012 07:00 Check out, Meeting in the lobby of the Hotel and departure to the EU Delegation to the West Bank, Gaza and UNRWA 07:30 12:30 Meeting with Comet ME and field visit to the South Mount Hebron area to visit rural villages and a new technology installation promoting the socio-economic integration of poor Palestinian communities The filed visit will include a visit to a off-grid hybrid renewable energy system in Shaab el Butum, providing electricity to a community of 250 Palestinians living in area C and a visit to the Comet-ME center in South Mount Hebron Comet ME is an Israeli NGO trying to build the socio-economic gap of Palestinian communities through new technologies, providing communities with water and solar energy and breaking their isolation. Comet ME mainly operates in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the area around Hebron. Contact: Elad Orian GSM +972 526611027 12:30 Departure for Ben Gurion International Airport (Tel Aviv) 6
Individual departures of Members and staff on 1 November 2012 Important note: Kindly note that due to security checks at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport it is advisable to allow at least two to three hours for check-in procedures. Considering that on 1 November 2012 works will end at 12.00 and considering further travel time from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion International airport near Tel Aviv, your flight to Europe should not depart before 16h00. Important: You are kindly advised not to include any electronic (chargers, cameras) or battery operated devices (alarm clocks, tooth brushes) or electronic cables or plugs in your suitcase and to place any such items in your carry-on. This reduces the possibility that your suitcase may have to be opened for closer inspection at security before you can proceed to check-in. Suggested flights: Lufthansa: LH 687 16:10 Tel Aviv Frankfurt 19:55 LH1024 20:55 Frankfurt Brussels 21:55 Alitalia: AZ 813 17:15 Tel Aviv Rome 20:05 AZ 164 21.15 Rome Brussels 23:30 Swiss Air: LX 255 15:55 Tel Aviv Zurich 19:15 LX 770 20:25 Zurich Brussels 21:40 Austrian Airlines: OS 858 16:10 Tel Aviv Vienna 19:05 OS8175 21:20 Vienna Brussels 23:10 FURTHER INFORMATION: Secretariat of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Mr Luca Di Preso, Administrator Tel: +32 228 32570 (BRU) GSM during mission: +32 473 844481 e-mail: luca.dipreso@ep.europa.eu Ms Christin Nilsson, Assistant (Brussels) Tel: +32 228 46760 (BRU) e-mail: christin.nilsson@ep.europa.eu 7
Key addresses and useful contacts: EU Delegation in Israel Delegation of the European Union to Israel Paz Tower 15th - 16th floors 5-7 Shoham Street - P.O.Box 3513 RAMAT GAN Telephone: (972) 03-6137799 Fax: (972) 03-6137770 E-mail: delegation-israel@eeas.europa.eu Ambassador Andrew Standley +972 (0)3 6000902 GSM +972 54 2240771 Ms Françoise Attal, Assistant to the Special Envoy +972 (0)3 6000903 GSM +972 54 2220935 EU Delegation to the West Bank, Gaza and UNRWA The Office of the European Union Representative West Bank & Gaza Strip, UNRWA George Adam Street 5, JERUSALEM +972 (2) 5415888 Ambassador John Gatt-Rutter +972 (0)2 5415888 Ms Julia Koch, Head of Political and Press section +972 (0)2 5415874 GSM +972 54 8024916 Ms Maha Husseini, Assistant +972 (0)2 5415876 GSM +972 54 8024925 8
Information to Members: FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS No cashier will accompany the delegation. Members will be responsible for settling their own hotel bills and other expenses during the mission. It is possible to obtain an advance on these expenses before departure from the Members' Cash Office prior to departure. Important: the secretariat can in no circumstances pay for Members' hotel expenses. They are therefore advised to ensure that they take sufficient funds (cash or major credit cards). Hotel costs will be reimbursed in full after the mission on presentation of the relevant bills. Members are required to submit all claims to the Members' Cash Office as soon as possible, and not later than one month after their return. For further information, please contact the Members' Cash Office, tel 42156. VISA Please note that you are not required to obtain a valid visa for Israel. Please note also that Israeli border control authorities do not recognise Laissez Passer. Important: Passports are stamped upon entering and exiting the country. As an Israeli stamp may preclude access in certain Arab countries, Israeli border control authorities offer the possibility to ask not to stamp one's passport. This should be requested at the time passports are given to border control authorities upon entering and exiting the country. INSURANCE and MEDICAL EMERGENCY FORM Please note that only Members and staff are covered by the EP's insurance policies. They do not cover any accompanying persons. The 24 hour emergency number for insurance enquiries is tel: +32 3 253 69 16 please quote the policy number: 2.004.760. For security reasons we kindly ask you to fill out the attached medical emergency form (Annex 1). PARTICIPATION Members' attention is drawn to the provisions regarding attendance and full participation at delegation meetings contained in Parliament's rules and provisions governing the work of inter-parliamentary delegations, adopted by the Conference of Presidents on 12 May 2005 (PE 356.108/CPG). They should also note that Article 10 of the rules stipulates that: "A delegation shall be composed exclusively of Members appointed and authorised to take part in the mission concerned, as well as: (a) officials of Parliament s Secretariat whose names are included in the establishment plan drawn up by the Directorate-General for External Policies and approved by its Director- General; (b) a maximum of one member of staff of each of the political groups represented on the delegation, whose names must be officially notified to the secretariat. No other person may be member of the delegation. 9
Officials of other EU institutions may, with the agreement of the chairperson, take part in the work of delegations." (paragraph 11). 10