Seminar on the situation in Palestine at the Yunus Emre Institute in Budapest

On Wednesday, 28th of August, the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Hungary organised a seminar titled “Eyes on Palestine – What the Experts Say” at the Yunus Emre Institute in Budapest. The panel experts focused on the atrocities’ impact on medicine, journalism and archaeology.

Chairing the symposium, the Ambassador of Palestine to Hungary, Dr. Fadi Elhusseini, addressed many political and humanitarian issues, including the war of annihilation and the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. The focus was not just on the past 11 months into the Gaza Genocide, which in Elhusseini’s words “was carried out under the guise of self-defence” in which “70,000 tons of bombs have been dropped on Gaza”, but on the decades of oppression Palestine has suffered from occupation. Elhusseini concluded that the occupation will inevitably come to an end and Palestine will continue to carry a proud, glorious and steady spirit where hope never dies.

The symposium continued with the speech of Dr. Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian doctor specialising in emergency medicine, internationally known for his fieldwork in Gaza and his unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, who spoke about the mounting hardship facing the health sector in Gaza, that includes the declining number of medical staff, the intentional obstruction of humanitarian aid and medical supplies. Dr. Gilbert stressed that this genocide is obvious and said, “This is not a difficult conflict, this is a difficult occupation”.

Dr. Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian doctor specialising in emergency medicine. Source: Palestine Embassy, Budapest

Palestinian activist and Executive Director of Health Workers for Palestine, Amira Nimerawi, a humanitarian impact specialist at the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, spoke about the effects of the Israeli occupation on public health in Palestine and health workers, touching on what she described as medical “apartheid” in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. Nimerawi highlighted the savagery of the collective punishment towards Palestinian patients, purposefully destroying the health system, the military taking away self-evidently obvious medical equipment from Palestinian patients, humiliating them and worsening their conditions.

Palestinian activist and Executive Director of Health Workers for Palestine, Amira Nimerawi. Palestine Embassy, Budapest

Dr. Myriam François, a British journalist and researcher specialising in the Palestinian cause, gave a video intervention about the Western media and double standards, calling on everyone to speak up and raise their voices in support of Palestine and how important unity is in fighting for justice and accountability.

Mona Al-Shami, a Hungarian student of Palestinian origin, presented the findings of her study on the effects of the occupation in general, and the war of annihilation in particular, on Palestinian heritage and archaeological sites, which is yet another obvious violation of international law, for which Israelis yet again not being held to account.

Closing the symposium, Ambassador Elhusseini announced the embassy’s intention to print Ms. Al-Shami’s specialised and important study as a book that will be available to all at the 29th International Book Festival, Budapest held on 26-29 September 2024.

Ambassador of Palestine to Hungary, Dr. Fadi Elhusseini. Source: Palestine Embassy, Budapest

The seminar was widely attended by prominent figures from the diplomatic corps, directors of academic institutes, international organisations, officials and civil society institutions, as well as representatives of the Palestinian community in Hungary.
Following the seminar, the Palestinian Hungarian Doctors and Pharmacists Association inaugurated a clinic that offers free services for the Palestinian community and students, in the presence of Ambassador Elhusseini, Dr. Gilbert and Mrs. Nimerawi.

The experts’ visit was concluded with an honouring for their support for the Palestinian people and their cause. The honouring took place at the headquarter of the embassy of Palestine, with the participation of Fatah SG, a member of Palestine National Council, president and board members of the Palestinian community, dignitaries and Palestinian businessmen in Hungary.

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Source: Palestine Embassy – press release