On March 18^th 2010, Mr. Al Zaeem met The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton, in her first official visit to the Gaza Strip. The negative effects of the imposed closure and the terrible situation following the Israeli war against the Gaza Strip were discussed.

Baroness Ashton paid a special visit to Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children. As part of her tour, she visited the pottery, carpentry, woodworking, sewing and embroidery departments of the Vocational Training Department, as well as the kindergarten. Upon seeing the final display of products in the Atfaluna Crafts Shop, she expressed her admiration of Atfaluna’s work and products.

ASDC Chairman, Mr. Al Zaeem, expressed his pleasure with the visit, stating, “The visit of Baroness Catherine Ashton comes in the most critical period of time that the region witnesses, while the ongoing blockade deprives many people of their basic needs of any normal life.”

In addition, Ms. Ashtoninspected the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, marking one of the highest level visits by a Western politician to the Gaza Strip.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/opinion/22iht-edashton.html