Dr. Sabri Saidam, Minister of Education and Higher Education, met with the Director of Al-Haq Organisation, Mr. Sha'wan Jabarin and his entourage delegation, to discuss the possible ways of promoting the concepts of international humanitarian law in the Palestinian curricula. There is now a growing need to document and expose the Israeli occupation's crimes and violations against the Palestinian people and the educational process in particular.
Dr. Saidam confirmed on the need to document all the crimes committed by the occupation and seek to stand trial in accordance with international laws, stressing that the ministry is documenting all crimes against schools, universities, educational institutions, and students in order to raise the legal issues to prosecute the occupation. The Ministry will cooperate with all national and international human rights institution to do so.
Dr. Saidam pointed out that the ministry has taken a decision to open schools on Saturdays, to activate more free extracurricular activities, and among that day's activities will be a professional training on documenting abuses and crimes of the occupation, in addition to lectures on human rights and international humanitarian law.
During the meeting, Dr. Saidam briefed Mr. Sha'wan about the MoU the ministry will sign soon with about 100 international organisations interested in areas of education, computing, employment and technology. This initiative has been taken by the Ministry to activate sustainable partnerships and cooperation in such areas. Dr. Saidam promised to send a draft copy of this MoU and another draft copy of the Educational law to review it in terms of rights and international laws.
On his part, Mr. Sha'wan assured that the MoEHE has a leading role in promoting the concepts of rights and international humanitarian law. He added that Al-Haq Organisation has been working closely with the Ministry in several projects, and is seeking to fortify and expand this cooperation, so as to enhance the rights and law concepts through successive generations.
Mr. Sha'wan said that Al-Haq Organisation, in cooperation with the Ministry, is lookingout for a unified and influential speech directed to the outside world; including documentation on the occupation's crimes against the Palestinian people, particularly the education sector.
Mr. Sha'wan added: "We are actively seeking to promote a better understanding of concepts pertaining to human rights and international humanitarian law to all the Palestinian people and the MoEHE is the strongest and most influential partner in this area.
At the end of the meeting, Mr. Sha'wan handed the Minister a number of legal books and pamphlets, documenting the crimes of the occupation, most notably brochures about violations against education sector and the impact of the apartheid wall.
The meeting was attended by the Director of Educational Media / Abdul Hakim Abu Jamous, H.D of Public Relations / Niveen Mosleh and H.D of Translation & Protocol/ Ahmad Murrar, and the Head of Al-Haq Center for International Law / Wael Abu Ne'ma.