Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales Euro MP Jill Evans will return to Palestine this week as part of a special European Parliament Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council. Six months after her last trip to the Middle East her visit will include another meeting with President Yasser Arafat.

Ms Evans returned from Palestine back in May after travelling to refugee camps in Jenin and Nablus and visiting the Church of the Nativity a day after the end of the siege in Bethlehem. This time the all-Wales MEP and Chair of CND Cymru will meet human rights representatives at Gaza and medical relief workers in Ramallah before holding further talks with President Arafat on Tuesday (3rd December).

Other visits scheduled for Hebron and Nablus will depend on the political and security situation given that the two cities are currently subject to heavy curfews and are under siege.

Speaking from Brussels before departing for the Middle East Jill Evans said:

"Whilst the security situation in Palestine is of grave concern it must not hinder the efforts of the international community to stop the bloodshed. I believe that the European Parliament can play a key role in helping to broker a peaceful settlement to this violent conflict."

"A policy of force can never get rid of the levels of despair that lead to further acts of violence. There must be a just and peaceful solution for the long term as well as a swift response to stop the killing now. We must ensure that we keep up the pressure in every way we can to achieve that lasting peace."

In a meeting in the European Parliament today Hanan Ashrawi, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, emphasised the importance of international solidarity such as that shown by many people in Wales.

Jill Evans will fly to Jerusalem this Friday (29th November) and her schedule is as follows:

Saturday (30th November): Meet Mr Ahmed Qurie (Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council). Visit Aida refugee camp and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Meet Mr Hanna Nasser (Mayor of Bethlehem) and Mr Michael Sabbah (Patriarch of the Latin Church).

Sunday (1st December): Visit Gaza for meetings with Mr Ibrahim Abu Al-Naja (First Deputy Speaker of the PLC). Travel to Khan Younes district and visit a refugee camp and hospital in the city for talks with human rights representatives.

Monday (2nd December): Visit to either Hebron or Nablus (depending on security arrangements) for meetings with PLC members, Mayor and other representatives of the civil society.

Tuesday (3rd December): Travel to Ramallah for meeting with President Yasser Arafat, and Dr Mustafa Barghouti (President of the Medical Relief Committees).

Ends.