World Chronicle 920: John Dugard, Human Rights in Palestinian Territories

"Security measures and Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories"

The need to respect human rights versus the need for security -it's a dilemma all societies must grapple with, but perhaps nowhere is it as controversial as in the Middle East. On this edition of World Chronicle, the guest is John Dugard, the UN's Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories - a mandate that Israel has described as 'one-sided' and 'irrelevant'. How effective can the work of a human rights rapporteur be when one side – the Israeli Government - refuses to meet with him? Why does the mandate not extend to violations of Israeli civil rights by Palestinian suicide bombers? Does the barrier - variously referred to as a 'separation wall' or as a 'security fence' - violate the human rights of Palestinian refugees? These are some of the questions asked by the Journalists on the programme.