Palestinian refugee humanitarian situation in Syria cast a shadow on PRCS Administrative Council meeting

(Ramallah – 20122012): The humanitarian situation of Palestinian refugees in Syrian camps, namely Al-Yarmook, has cast a shadow on the PRCS Administrative Council meeting held today in the Society’s headquarters in Al-Bireh city.

The meeting was attended by more than two-thirds of its members, members of the PRCS Executive Committee as well as many heads of branches, heads of departments and staff in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt. The meeting was headed by Dr. AbdAllah Bashir, its chairman.

The council discussed recent developments in the Al-Yarmook camp and possible means of assistance to its residents in Syria and those who fled it to Lebanon.

In his opening remark, Dr. Younis Al Khatib explained that the main current challenge for the PRCS is the consequences of the Syrian crisis and its impact on the Palestinian refugees in Syria and particularly in Al Yarmouk refugee camp and in the refugee camps in Lebanon.

Dr. Al Khatib emphasized the importance of the role played by the ICRC and IFRC, in this critical time in Syria, as the Arab Syrian Red Crescent cannot respond to all the humanitarian needs by itself.

Moreover, he called upon the sister national societies, the ICRC and the IFRC to provide the necessary humanitarian support to enable the PRCS to meet the consequences of the events in the Al Yarmouk refugee camp.

Dr. Al Khatib mentioned that the PRCS has made urgent contacts with different parties in Palestine and the Diaspora in order to set a comprehensive response to the humanitarian and medical needs of refuges; those in the Al Yarmouk camp, the displaced families in the outskirts of Damascus, and those who have fled to Lebanon.

Dr. Al Khatib illustrated the PRCS achievements in the past years, particularly as the meeting coincides with the PRCS 45th foundation anniversary, such as reinforcing the relations with the Arab sister national societies, and many internal administrative issues of the PRCS.

On his part, Dr. Shaker Al Shehabi, PRCS Executive Committee member, and head of its branch in Syria, explained thoroughly the situation in the Al Yarmouk Camp since the beginning of the crisis. He also illustrated the damages sustained by the PRCS Palestine Hospital in the camp which led to electricity cutouts for a long time.

From Lebanon, and via videoconference, Dr. AL Shehabi asserted that the PRCS is doing its utmost despite the hard situation to provide the humanitarian and medical services to the refugees. He also said that a clinic will be opened in each concentration of the displaced Palestinians in the outskirts of Damascus.

It is worth mentioning that the PRCS, and since its foundation in 1968, has been providing the humanitarian and medical services to the Palestinian refugees in Syria and Lebanon refugee camps, in addition to Egypt. It is operating a number of hospitals and many primary health care centers.

The meeting discussed the Secretariat General’s report presented by Mr. Sameeh Abu Aisheh, the report of PRCS Syria branch by Dr. Shaker Sheehabi, and the PRCS Lebanon branch's report given by Dr. Salah Al Ahmad, Executive Committee member. In addition, they also discussed the PRCS Executive Committee’s report given by Dr. Khaled Joudeh, PRCS Director General, and the financial report and the coming PRCS strategy 2013-2017.