An official visit to the Palestinian territories by a United Nations human rights expert on violence against women has been cancelled due to Israel’s visa denial.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Rashida Manjoo, was scheduled to arrive in the Palestinian territories on January 19 to engage directly with female survivors of violence in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization based in Geneva, condemns the Israeli obstruction of justice and pledges that it will not prevent the organization from providing her the evidence and documents needed to obtain a firsthand understanding of issues related to violence against women in the Palestinian territories.

“The Israeli denial of entry to international experts and officials constitutes a great disregard for international law and is an attempt to conceal its violations in the Palestinian territories,” says Ramy Abdu, chair of Euro-Med Monitor. “However, despite Israeli attempts to stonewall, Euro-Mid will deliver to Ms. Manjoo a comprehensive report that documents Israeli violations of human rights against Palestinian women.”

Euro-Med Monitor calls on all concerned parties within the International community to take all possible measures to allow international experts entry into the Palestinian territories, and to pressure Israel to stop impeding the work of commissions of inquiry, including the commission established by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNRC) into the summer assault on Gaza.