vrijdag 10 december 2010
Now that people in the Gaza Strip have food and five hours a day electricity, there is hope that fathers can work. They want access to their fishing grounds and earn credit in order to cultivate the buffer zone. Social economy should be ensured by authorities in accordance with rules, because they are poor.
1. Introduction
Following concerted international pressure, 20 June 2010
the government of israel announced a set of measures to ease its illegal
blockade of the Gaza strip:
- Publishing a list of items not permitted into Gaza and allowing
all other items to enter;
- Expanding and accelerating the inflow of construction materials
for international projects;
- Expanding operations at the crossings and opening more crossings
as more processing capacity becomes necessary and security conditions allow;
- Streamlining entry/exit permits for medical and humanitarian
reasons and for aid workers;
- Facilitating movements of people in additional ways, as
conditions and security allow.
01
Many in the international community including quartet representative Tony Blair expressed hopes that this would lead to a major change and alleviate the plight of the Palestine civil population. 02
However five months later there are few signs of real improvement on the ground as the ease’ has left foundations of the illegal blockade policy intact. In order to have a positive impact on the daily lives of the 1.5 million Palestinians (half of whom are children) the israeli blockade must fully lift of the Gaza strip.
Palestine fathers …
… collect gravel from destroyed buildings in Gaza near Erez
crossing close to the israeli ‘security zone’
The israeli government committed to expand and accelerate the inflow of construction materials for international projects. So far it only approved 7 per cent of the building plan for UNRWa’s projects in Gaza. Of that 7 per cent only a small fraction of the necessary construction material has been allowed to enter for projects including schools and health centers. 03
Only an average of 715 of these truckloads have been received per month since the easing was announced. The UN reports that Gaza requires 670,000 truckloads of construction material. 04
Dashed hopes …
The israeli government committed to expand operations at the crossings and to open further crossings as necessary. They have indeed undertaken an expansion of the operations at the limited Kerem shalom crossing. The israeli committed to more than double operations at the Karni conveyor belt, but the operations there have in fact decreased since the easing. The main Karni commercial crossing stands idle. Exports remain banned and except for the humanitarian activity of exporting a small amount of strawberries, not a single truck has left Gaza since the easing.
Many humanitarian items that are not on the israeli restricted list continue to receive no permits, including vital water equipment. Two thirds of Gaza’s factories report they have received none or only some of the raw materials they need to recommence operations. As a result 39 percent of Gaza residents remain unemployed and unable to afford the new goods in the shops. Without raw materials and the chance to export, Gaza’s businesses are unable to compete with the cheaper newly imported goods. This economic development leaves 80 percent of the population dependent upon international aid. There has been a significant increase in the amount of food stuffs entering Gaza.
More Palestine business people than before have been allowed to leave Gaza, but ordinary Gaza residents are still denied access to their friends and family, and to educational opportunities in the West bank, east Jerusalem and abroad.
While restrictions on access to and from Gaza date back to the 1990s, these restrictions were intensified leading to the current blockade after Hamas took control of the strip in June 2007. The israeli board declared Gaza a ‘hostile entity’ and decided to impose additional sanctions restricting the passage of goods, fuel and people. Duty exists to protect citizens from security threats and the measures used to do so must conform to international humanitarian and human rights law. 05
This includes legal obligation to protect the safety, rights and needs of the civil population. The israeli hold the position that the restrictions and procedures are part of legitimate warfare. 06
However, the international committee of the Red cross has recently confirmed that the blockade constitutes a collective punishment of the entire civil population of Gaza and is in clear violation of international humanitarian law. 07
Following the israeli announcement of steps to ease the blockade, international attention shifted to the israeli - Palestine negotiations and the pressure from the international community to lift the blockade was also eased. The current approach risks perpetuating what is an unacceptable situation and fails to recognize that there cannot be a just and durable resolution of the israeli - Palestine conflict without an end to the isolation and punishment of people in Gaza. The israeli government and parts of the international community remain reluctant to fully lift the blockade as long as Hamas holds power in Gaza. Yet upholding the rights and needs of civil people in Gaza must not be conditional on other political objectives. Noblesse oblige in Gaza cannot wait until israeli - Palestine negotiations are concluded.
Lifting the blockade of Gaza remains a legal, economic and political imperative
for those seeking a lasting resolution to israeli - Palestine conflict. The time for credible and effective action is now.
Easing
of israeli Gaza blockade: Promises and realities
Measures …
announced June 20th 2010
08
|
Summary …
of implementations and results
|
Import …
|
-
Publish a list of items not permitted into Gaza (‘negative list’).
-
All items absent from this list will be permitted to enter Gaza.
|
- The published negative list extends far beyond the
international definition of dual-use items.
10
- Many items absent from the list still require special
approval and many of them have not received it.
11
- Imports of many raw materials still restricted.
12
- Negative impact of cheap imports on local production.
-
Imports increased from 20 to 35 percent of pre-blockade levels; primarily
consumer goods including food.
09
|
Construction materials …
|
-
Allow the entry of restricted construction materials for
international projects in Gaza approved by the Palestine authority.
-
Expand and accelerate their inflow
|
- Inflow of construction materials at only 11 percent of
pre-blockade levels.
13
- Delays and extra costs due to complex approval and
monitoring procedures.
- Only 25 UNRWa projects approved in principle, i.e. 7
percent of UNRWa building plan; only a small fraction of materials for
these 25 projects received.
14
- Reconstruction of people's homes hampered due to exclusion
of
private sector.
|
Crossings operation …
|
-
Expand operations and capacity of crossings to Gaza, enabling the
processing of a significantly greater volume of goods. (Further elaborated
as allowing 250 trucks per day at Kerem shalom crossing, to be increased to
400 in the first half of 2011; and allowing 360 truckloads per week through
a conveyor at Karni crossing.
15
-
Open additional crossings ‘as more processing capacity becomes necessary
and when security concerns are fully addressed’.
|
- Crossings’ operation still far from sufficient for the level
of imports and exports required.
- Karni crossing with capacity to process over 750 trucks
daily remains closed except for a conveyor belt. The conveyor is
processing only 137 truckloads per week on average, down from
158 prior to easing, and only 38 percent of what was promised.
17
- Erez crossing remains opened for restricted movement of
people only. Other israeli crossings - Sufa and Nahal oz - remain closed.
-
Kerem shalom crossing: 183 trucks entering per day on average,
up from 86 prior to easing.
16
|
Movement of people …
|
-
Streamline permits for entry and exit for humanitarian and
medical reasons and for aid workers.
-
‘As conditions improve’, consider additional ways to facilitate
the movement of people to and from Gaza.
|
- Overall ban on exit and entry still in place. No expansion
of the few exceptional categories of Palestine allowed to travel
through israeli controlled crossings. Number of exits below 1 percent
of 2000 levels.
18
- Fewer permits approved for UN local humanitarian staff
than before easing.
19
- Permit policy for aid workers and medical patients still
arbitrary, unpredictable and time consuming.
-
Increase in permits for business people.
|
|
Not mentioned in the announcement:
|
Exports …
|
- Ban on exports continues, except for the humanitarian
activity of exporting a small amount of strawberries, not a single truck of
exports has left Gaza since the easing until now. Willingness is
signaled to allow some exports by spring 2011 but makes it conditional on
presence of Palestine authority at the crossings.
20
|
Fuel imports …
|
- No ‘easing’ of fuel restrictions, fuel for the
power plant remains limited at 68 percent of its maximum capacity; cooking
gas imports have been at around 53 percent of average needs; almost no
diesel and petrol allowed for commercial sector.
21 Due
to the power plant fuel
restrictions, exacerbated by intra Palestine disagreements, there is a
chronic lack of electricity and regular blackouts, affecting provision of
essential services, including water supply, sewage treatment, and health
services.
|
Buffer zone …
|
- No change, access to around 35 percent of Gaza’s farmland
and 85 percent of maritime areas for fishing remains israeli restricted
‘buffer zone’, with devastating impact on the economy and people’s
rights and livelihoods. an estimated 178,000 people are directly affected.
Boundaries of the restricted areas are highly arbitrary and enforced by
live fire: 6 civilians have been killed (2 of them children) and 57 injured
(10 of them children) by israeli fire in the buffer zone since the
easing of the blockade.
23
|
the israeli production blockade is of an ethic way below par …
|
2. Paralysed production …
In addition to limitations on access to raw materials, Gaza’s productive sector is paralysed by the continuing ban on exports. 26
In the past Gaza’s economy was largely reliant on exports of goods such as furniture, clothing and textiles, food and agricultural products, providing livelihoods to tens of thousands of workers and their families. The scale of economic activity in Gaza is now dependent on local demand, which in turn is constrained by the low purchasing power of the population and the relatively small size of the local market. 27
Even under the 2005 agreement on ‘movement and access’ signed by israel, the target for exports from Gaza was set at 400 trucks per day. In contrast, under
the blockade since June 2007, only 224 truckloads of exports in total have been
allowed out of Gaza: occasional shipments of carnations and strawberries. 28
In the meantime, the only exports leaving Gaza are passing through the tunnels under the Egypt border.
Factory owner once delivered 1000 clothing items/day …
Until 2004 Khaled Nasan used to send up to 400 clothing items to israel
everyday – from trousers to shirts and underwear. Now he depends on the second
hand clothes israeli send him. He used to make 1,000 shekels a day, nowadays he
just opens the shop so that by the end of the day might make enough money to
eat with his wife and four children and pay the university fees of two of them.
UNRWa sends food vouchers to his family and thank for that, because without that
help what would he do?
Now he is selling second hand clothes coming from israel at Gaza market
Construction materials import …
In its announcement of June 20th, the israeli government committed to allow, expand and accelerate entry of construction materials into Gaza for projects implemented by the international community and approved by the Palestine authority (Pa). However, the progress of these projects has been very limited due to israel' lengthy approval process and its onerous monitoring and verification requirements. after a project is approved in principle, a detailed schedule has to be negotiated and each individual truckload then must be approved. Use of each construction item then has to be extensively documented from point of entry to its final placement through regular reporting including multiple photographs. This results in significant additional costs to international agencies and their donors.
One of the delaying factors is a restricted operation of the conveyor belt at the
Karni crossing used for the entry of construction materials as well as wheat
grain and animal feed. Despite israeli agreement July 2010 to expand its
operation to 120 truckloads daily for 3 days per week 46
, the conveyor belt continues to operate at 80 truckloads for 2 days per week, i.e. less than half of the promised weekly capacity (and often only 1 day per week due to frequent
technical breakdowns). In fact, the weekly average number of truckloads
entering via the conveyor belt decreased from 158 prior to the easing to 137 since then. 47
Due to this bottleneck, UNRWa has received just a fraction of the truckloads of construction items due to enter Gaza per the schedule agreed with israel.
The israeli government has stated that it restricts entry of construction
materials because they ‘are liable to be used for Palestine military purposes’ and that it will only permit their entry for international projects approved by the Palestine authority (Pa). 51
However, with cement available through the tunnels, by default the consequence of this policy ends up restricting building materials for the international organizations that face both burdensome israel procedures and donor governments’ restrictions on procurement. Meanwhile, average Palestine civil people cannot afford the inflated prices of materials from the tunnels. Furthermore, by tying projects of the international community in Gaza more closely to the Palestine authority as opposed to the Hamas authorities, the new policy is further entrenching intra Palestine divisions and politicizing international aid in Gaza.
For Gaza’s
private sector,
the situation is even worse. The private sector is excluded from the possibility to import construction materials including
concrete, steel and gravel, hampering efforts of people in Gaza to rebuild their
homes, businesses and other property. 49
over 6,000 homes were destroyed or severely damaged during operation cast lead and only 22 percent of the homes with major damage have been repaired so far, using recycled rubble and cement smuggled through the tunnels. 50
Access to fish grounds …
While the Oslo accords entitled Palestine to access maritime areas up to 20 nautical miles from the shore, israel has progressively reduced the limit to 3 nautical miles, thus barring access to 85 percent of the area agreed in Oslo. This has had a devastating impact on Gaza’s fishing industry, which is no longer able to reach schools of large fish which remain further out to sea. From 2008 to 2009, the total catch in Gaza decreased by 47 percent. 62
The poverty rate among Gaza’s 4,000 fishermen has reached nearly 90 percent, up from 50 percent in 2008. 63
Israel enforce the limit by opening fire on fishing boats, even when they are within the 3 nautical mile limit, sometimes leading to casualties.
Fisherman Jamal Basala …
He used to employ 20 fishermen on his trawler but with the 3
nautical mile limit and daily shootings from israeli naval forces his income has
gone down to its lowest ever. He can no longer employ anyone and is receiving
humanitarian aid.
3. Human capital development
Education
Over 90 percent of UNRWa schools are already running double shifts and shipping containers are sometimes used as classrooms. UNRWa was unable to get construction materials to build new schools. 40,000 eligible children could not be enrolled at UNRWa schools at the start of the new academic year and were referred to schools under the authority of the Hamas government. So far israel has approved -in principle- only 6 out of 100 schools needed by UNRWa to accommodate students in the coming years. 48
Housing
According to UN agencies, the Gaza strip needs about 86,000 new housing
units to accommodate past population growth and also to replace the homes
destroyed or damaged as a result of israeli military operations. It would
require the entry of over 670,000 truckloads of construction materials into
Gaza in order to build these units. 43
Since the easing
of the blockade only 715 truckloads of construction materials for all uses
(not only housing) have entered Gaza per month on average, a mere 11 percent of
pre-blockade levels. 44
at this rate, it would take many
decades to build the needed homes, while the unmet housing needs grow each
day the blockade continues.
Shelter needs …
The reconstruction of Gaza cannot meaningfully take place
until the blockade is lifted and construction materials become available to the
private sector
Water and sanitation
- 60 percent of the population receives running water every 4 or 5
days, for 6-8 hours.
39
- About 90 percent of water supplied to Gaza residents is not
suitable for
drinking and is contaminated with salt and nitrates.
41
- 50 to 80 million liters of untreated or partially treated sewage
are released into the sea every day.
40
Consumer goods import
The israeli easing measures have relaxed restrictions on the number of
imports of many basic goods banned since the imposition of the blockade in June 2007, such as spices, clothes, cosmetics, refrigerators and cars, and reduced their flow through the tunnels under the Egypt border. For the population of Gaza, this
means improved availability of these goods, often at lower prices and better
quality, than through the tunnel trade. The number of items entering remains restricted, and given the general impoverishment caused by the blockade, few in Gaza can afford to buy many of these goods.
Consumer goods make up the majority of import volumes. Food items, which
constituted less than 20 percent of goods entering Gaza before the blockade, now
account for 44 percent of imports. 24
In order to restart local production and revive the economy, entry of raw materials is vital. While some raw materials including textiles, wood, drink concentrates and industrial margarine gradually started moving in, many remain restricted. In a survey of Gaza businesses between July and sep 2010, only 18 percent of companies indicated that they received all the raw materials they needed, while 44 percent received only some and 38 percent received none. 14
The easing of consumer imports is, paradoxically, also undermining the remaining local production. Many producers in Gaza cannot compete with the lower prices
of newly imported goods such as cheap textiles of Chinese origin and food
products from israel, while access to their former export markets remains
banned. 31
Breakfast for husband and child …
Reem Said Hassanein, mother of 6 and Oxfam’s Urban voucher programme
beneficiary, husband is former construction worker and now unemployed: “Today
is the first time in three years that he has been called to work for the day.
she has no idea how it will be tomorrow as there are no guarantees for work, but
thank there is some construction going on now that small amounts of cement have
started entering Gaza.
When Reem Said Hassanein got married she could buy our house
and furniture and live a good life but now she couldn’t even buy food
Access to hospitals
Palestinian patients seeking specialized medical treatment unavailable in Gaza
are one of the very few categories allowed to leave the Gaza strip - if granted a permit. The permits are still frequently delayed or denied by israeli authorities, which can have dire consequences. Delayed patients generally miss their hospital appointments and need to start the permit process over again. Since 2009, 33 patients have died before access to the hospital they were referred to. For children in particular, caregiving family members of ill children also do not receive permits to cross, posing additional child protection risks. Some patients seeking permits are interrogated by israeli intelligence services at the Erez crossing, which is seen as an unethical collecting information.
Given the absence of progress on the israel side and increased opening of the
Rafah crossing since June 2010, a substantially higher proportion of patients
from Gaza are now being referred to Egypt hospitals, the much lengthier journey
can compromise patient care and is ill suited for emergency. 58
Two year old girl Nasma Abu Lasheen …
This Gaza child suffering from leukaemia, died on 16 oct 2010 after israeli
authorities failed to issue her an urgent permit in time for life-saving medical
treatment at an israeli hospital. When the permit was granted after more than a
week’s delay, it was already too late. 56
Since the easing more equipment has been allowed entry, but some
essential types of equipment are still blocked, including radiation machines for
oncology, endoscopy and laparoscopy machines for surgery, microscopes and other
optic equipment. 59
The israel restrictions enforce treatment outside Gaza.
Foreign projects
Since the easing of the blockade, the israeli authorities have approved only 25 UNRWa projects (such as schools, clinics and housing units), representing a mere 7 percent of UNRWa’s building plan. Only a small fraction of the truckloads needed to complete these 25 projects have been received so far. The delays have a highly detrimental impact on the UNRWa construction programme. 45
Despite the israeli authorities’ commitment in the jun 20th 2010 announcement
to streamline entry and exit permits to and from Gaza for medical and
humanitarian reasons and for aid workers, there has been so far no tangible
improvement in practice. On the contrary, there has been a decrease in the rate
of permit approvals for entry or exit of UN agencies’ national humanitarian
staff. 54
International human rights workers are denied entry to Gaza via Erez. Permit policy for aid workers and medical patients remains arbitrary, unpredictable and time consuming.
4. Human trafficking
Palestinian freedom of movement including to travel, work, study and
visit family members abroad continues to be denied. The ban on movement
applies also to travel between Gaza and the West bank – including east
Jerusalem –together recognized as a single territorial unit by the international
community and israel as signatory parties to the Oslo accords. such movement
would be essential for a normal functioning of the Palestine society. In
the announcement on the easing, the israeli government of israel stated
that ‘as conditions improve’, it will consider ways to facilitate the
movement of people to and from Gaza. however, apart from the case of business people,
there has been no visible easing of the restrictions and no expansion of the
criteria. Since aug 2010, only 2,140 residents (from the exceptional categories)
have been allowed to exit Gaza via the Erez crossing per month on average, similar
to the levels prior to the easing. 52
This is less than 1
percent of the number of exits in sep 2000, before israeli tightened restrictions
on the movement of Palestinians. 53
Unlike on the israeli side, there has been a significant increase in travel via
the Rafah crossing on the Egypt border as a result of its increased
opening since jun 2010. Despite the improvement, there are still restrictions
on the categories of individuals permitted to travel through the border crossing.
A significant positive change in the area of freedom of movement has
been an approximately fourfold increase in the numbers of business people
allowed to leave and enter Gaza via the Erez crossing. 55
This is an
improvement which must be built on to allow freedom of movement for all people. Human rights defenders from Gaza are denied exit via the Erez crossing,
and are not allowed to meet with their counterparts in israel and the West
bank, nor to travel abroad.
5. Economy the way up
The much reported economic growth of 16 percent in Gaza relates to the
period between the first quarter of 2009 and first quarter of 2010, prior to the
easing. The World bank partly attributes this growth to a lowered base for
comparison caused by the plunge in economic activity during operation cast
lead and subsequent months of 2009. According to the World bank it also
reflects the inflows of humanitarian assistance, the thriving tunnel operations as
well as israeli smaller easing steps during the given period. 32
The IMF adds that this growth “is unlikely to last if imports of private investment
inputs and exports to israel remain prohibited”. 33
Gaza’s economic
output per capita is today 40 percent lower than it was in 1994, at the start of
the Oslo peace process. 34
Key lock indicators …
- Power outages usually last 4-6 hours a day and often
longer.
38
- Unemployment rate around 39 percent, one of the highest
in the world.
37
- 78 percent of homes with damages from operation
cast lead not rebuild.
43
- 61 percent of the population is food insecure.
36
- 80 percent of the population is dependent on
international aid.
35
According to the World bank, the prohibition on exports combined with the
restrictions on raw materials preclude the revival of the
private sector.
29
Currently 65 percent of industrial businesses in Gaza are shut down and the rest operate only at partial capacity. The sector is currently
employing 6,000 workers, down from 35,000 prior to the blockade. 30
6. Recommendations to international community…
Renewed international action to ensure an immediate, sustained and
unconditional lift of the blockade in line with international law is necessary.
63
That includes:
1.
End the ban on exports
2.
Ensure access
to Gaza’s agricultural land and fishing grounds
3.
Expand operations of the crossings
4.
Lift restrictions on fuel imports
5.
Allow entry of construction and raw materials for the
Private sector
Security for both Palestine civil people and Israeli must be ensured.
Reinstating and respecting the rule of international law and enabling positive,
self sufficient futures for the people will create more security for civil Israeli
and Palestine people and their territory. Authorities must be able to secure social
economy in accordance with international law.
Primary responsibility for ending the blockade and ensuring the welfare of
Palestine civil people lies with israel which controls Gaza’s air space,
territorial waters, most crossing points and other important aspects of the lives
of Palestine inhabitants. Egypt and the Palestine authority in Gaza must also do
their utmost to help Gaza’s civil population. This includes the obligation of the
Hamas authorities to stop and prevent all attacks against israeli civilians
immediately. (64) The international community must do its part to:
End the production blockade:
1>
Plan visits to Gaza as part of every visit to the
middle east.
2>
Support genuine investigations
into violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law.
Organize accountability for these violations in israeli forces and palestine
armed groups, prevent future violations.
3>
State explicitly that the ongoing
blockade is illegal under international law.
4>
Convene a meeting of the UN security Council to
implement resolution 1860
which ensures sustained and regular cross border flow of goods and people and
calls for tangible steps towards intra Palestine reconciliation. Further action
necessary for its review should be considered.
5>
Launch a new, concerted
diplomatic initiative
for an immediate and unconditional relief of repression:
-
Protect civil people
in these areas ;
-
Ensure access
to Gaza’s agricultural- and fish- grounds ;
-
Allow exports from Gaza ;
-
Lift restrictions
on construction- and raw materials, fuel ;
-
Expand cross border
traffic ;
-
Allow cross border
movement of humans ;
Literature …
01
Statement
following the israel' board meeting, June 20th 2010.
02 For example, the quartet representative Tony Blair
stated:
“These changes are significant and, once implemented, should have a dramatic
influence on the daily lives of the people of Gaza and on the private sector”.
The office of Tony Blair, new Gaza guidelines will support health, education,
water and sanitation projects, jul 5th 2010.
03 Information from UNRWa Gaza as of nov 25th 2010. Calculation is based
on the total value of the planned construction in US dollars.
04 OCha, Gaza crossings online
database,
period aug-nov 2010.
05 The israeli also has a duty to safeguard the health and welfare of civil population.
Security measures must respect fundamental rights to free movement, health, decent living conditions, protection from hunger, as well as special duties to protect children.
06 Answer given by the israel' state
prosecutor
in response to a lawsuit filed by the israeli NGO Gisha: “It goes without saying that the very inclusion of this last qualification in the article shows that damaging the enemy’s economy is in and of itself a legitimate means in warfare and a relevant consideration even while deciding to allow the entry of relief consignments”. nov 17th 2010.
07 International committee of the Red cross, Gaza closure:
Not another year!,
jun 14th 2010.
08
Statement
following the israel' board meeting, jun 20th 2010.
09 OCha, Gaza crossings online database, values
for jan-may and aug-nov 2010 as compared to the first five months of 2007.
10 The ‘negative lists’ published on
jul 4th 2010:
- A list of military and ‘dual-use’ (civil and military) items. The
dual-use part extends significantly beyond the internationally recognized
Wassenaar arrangement list of dual-use items which should define israel’s
domestic legislation.
- A
list
of construction items and materials to be allowed entry into Gaza only for
international projects approved by the Palestine authority.
11 For example, industrial machinery and equipment and materials for water and sanitation projects. According to the wash cluster opt,
merely 25 percent of materials requested for wash projects have been allowed
into Gaza since the easing, although at least 61 percent of the materials
are not listed as restricted items and therefore should be allowed without a
special permit. Information from the wash cluster opt, oct 27th 2010. See also
OCha, the
humanitarian
monitor, sep 2010.
12 PalTrade, Gaza strip cargo movement and access
report.
13 OCha, Gaza crossings online
database,
period aug-nov 2010.
14 Information from UNRWa Gaza as of nov 25th 2010.
15 Operation of the Karni conveyor belt was supposed to be
increased from 80 truckloads on 2 days per week to 120 truckloads on 3 days per week. Maj. Gen. Eitan Dangot, coordinator of government
activities
in the Territories, easing of the closure of Gaza, jul 6th 2010,
OCha, the humanitarian
monitor,
jul 2010.
16 OCha, Gaza crossings online
database,
values for jan-may and aug-nov 2010.
17 OCha, Gaza crossings online
database,
values for jan-may and aug-nov 2010.
18 Gisha,
facts
behind MFa report on easing of Gaza closure, sep 21th 2010.
19 In september 2010, only 47 percent of UN agencies’ requests
for entry or exit of their national staff were approved and in october only 45 percent, down from the average of 76 percent during the first half of 2010.
OCha, the
humanitarian
monitor, sep 2010.
OCha, the
humanitarian
monitor, oct 2010.
20 See e.g. associated press, israeli general lays out
plan
for reviving Gaza, oct 26th 2010.
21 PalTrade, Gaza strip cargo movement and access
report.
22 OCha/World food programme, Between the fence and a hard
place: The humanitarian impact of israeli-imposed restrictions on access to land
and sea in the Gaza strip, special
focus,
aug 2010.
23 Numbers since jul 1 2010. Information provided by OCha
Jerusalem, nov 4th 2010.
24 OCha, Gaza crossings online
database,
prior to the blockade construction and raw materials made up 65 percent of
import volumes. Information from OCha Jerusalem nov 12th 2010.
25 PalTrade, Gaza strip cargo movement and access
report.
26 Some willingness is signaled by israeli representatives
to open up some exports by spring 2011 but make it conditional on the presence
of the Palestine authority at the crossings. See e.g. associated press, israeli
general lays out plan for
reviving
Gaza, oct 26th 2010. Limited shipments of carnations and strawberries have been
exported in the past without Palestine authority presence at the crossings.
27 PalTrade, Gaza strip cargo movement and access
report.
28 At the same place.
29 The World bank, the underpinnings of the future Palestine
state: sustainable growth and institutions, economic monitoring
report
to the ad hoc liaison committee, sep 21th 2010.
30 PalTrade, Gaza strip cargo movement and access
report. There has been a limited improvement in these indicators relative to
2009. according to the World bank, this is mainly the result of firms having had
time to adapt to the blockade and of increased access to goods imported through
the tunnels. The World bank. The underpinnings of the future Palestine state:
sustainable growth and institutions, economic monitoring
report
to the ad hoc liaison committee, sep 21th 2010.
31 PalTrade, Gaza strip cargo movement and access
report;
The independent, how good news became bad for Gaza, israeli demotion eased
the
trade embargo,
but history has made some Palestine businesses small, oct 10th 2010; BBC news
middle east, Gaza businesses boxed in by israeli
export ban,
2 nov 2010;
Gisha, Gaza gateway –
Facts and analysis
about the crossings, for Gaza tailors, market is flooded, external markets are
banned, aug 26th 2010.
32 The World bank, the underpinnings of the future Palestine
state: sustainable growth and institutions, economic monitoring
report
to the ad hoc liaison committee, sep 21th 2010.
33 Macroeconomic and fiscal framework for the West bank and
Gaza: sixth
review
of progress, staff report for the meeting of the ad hoc liaison committee, sep
21th 2010.
34 At the same place.
35 UNRWa, Thousands
missing out on
education
in Gaza, jul 6th 2010.
36 World food programme / Food and agriculture organization,
occupied Palestine territory - Food security and vulnerability analysis
report,
dec 2009.
37 The World bank - The underpinnings of the future Palestine
state: sustainable growth and institutions, economic monitoring
report
to the ad hoc liaison committee, sep 21th 2010. Macroeconomic and fiscal
framework for the West bank and Gaza: sixth review of progress, staff
report
for the meeting of the ad hoc liaison committee, sept 21th 2010.
38 OCha, the
humanitarian
monitor, sep 2010.
39 Ewash, wash cluster opt monthly situation report, oct 30th 2010.
40 Ewash, the impact of the blockade on water and sanitation in
Gaza, jul 2010.
41 At the same place.
42 Information from UNRWa Gaza as of nov 23th 2010.
43 Shelter sector Gaza, Gaza housing needs after three years of
blockade and war, shelter
advocacy fact-sheet 2,
jun 2010. Aee also IRIN, opt: obstacles on
road
to Gaza rebuilding, jun 30th 2010.
44 OCha, Gaza crossings online
database,
period aug-oct 2010.
45 Information from UNRWa as of nov 25th 2010.
46 IDF,
easing
of the closure of Gaza, jul 6th 2010;
OCha, the humanitarian
monitor, jul 2010.
47 oCha, Gaza crossings online
database,
values for jan-may and aug-nov 2010.
48 Information provided by UNRWa. see also OCha, the
humanitarian
monitor,
sep 2010 and Gisha, due to Gaza closure, 40,000 students
refused
from UNRWa schools, sep 15th 2010.
49 These items are not part of the internationally recognized
Wassenaar arrangement list of dual use items which is also incorporated into
israel’s domestic legislation.
50 Information provided by UNRWa Gaza nov 23th 2010.
51 Israel ministry of foreign affairs, Gaza:
list
of controlled entry items, jul 4th 2010.
52 Figure for aug-oct 2010. In apr-jun 2010, the monthly
average has been 2,083. Data provided by Gisha, nov 2010.
53 Gisha, Facts behind mfa
facts.
54 In sept 2010, only 47 percent of UN agencies’ requests for
entry or exit of their national staff were approved and in october only 45
percent, down from the average of 76 percent during the first half of 2010.
OCha, the humanitarian
monitor,
sep 2010.
OCha, the humanitarian
monitor,
oct 2010.
55 The number of exit permits for business people increased
from an average of 114 in apr-Jun 2010 to 448 in aug-oct 2010. Data provided by
Gisha, nov 2010.
56
Physicians for human rights – israel, delayed exit of a toddler from Gaza
results in death, oct 20th 2010.
57 Who, monthly
report
referral of patients from the Gaza strip, sep 2010.
58 The numbers of patients referred to Egypt have roughly
doubled since jun 2010. Whereas between jan and may 2010 24 percent of patients
referred to hospitals outside Gaza went to Egypt, since June Egypt’s share of
referrals has risen to 41 percent. Who, monthly
report
referral of patients from the Gaza strip, sep 2010.
59 Information provided by physicians for human rights – israel, oct 2010.
60 Al Mezan center for human rights, and Gisha, human rights
lawyer
in Gaza to baroness Catherine Ashton: Use your power to assist students from
Gaza to reach their studies in the West bank, jul 18th 2010.
61 Food and agriculture organization (Fao), Farming without
land, fishing without water: Gaza agriculture sector
struggles
to survive, may 2010.
62 Poverty defined as monthly income below 190 US dollars.
International committee of the Red cross, Gaza closure:
Not another year!,
jun 14th 2010.
63 Council of the european union, European Union council
conclusions on Gaza, 3023rd foreign affairs
Council Meeting
Luxembourg, jun 14th 2010: “In line with UNSC resolution 1860, the European Union
reiterates its call for an immediate, sustained and unconditional opening of
crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and
from Gaza including goods from the West bank. The Council calls for a solution
that addresses israel's legitimate security concerns including a complete stop to
all violence and arms smuggling into Gaza.”
64 From jun to nov 2010, 30 mortars and 40 missiles were fired
from Gaza into israel causing
no casualties.
nov 17th 2010.
Read more …
- The israeli attack launched dec 27th 2008 constitutes a serious
violation of international humanitarian law. Not only Hamas is accountable for
the current situation but also israel, says
Europe.
- As the fighting in and around Gaza intensified, it became
increasingly difficult to get information about the course of the fighting.
Many Palestinians maintain a weblog, also from the Gaza Strip. As soon as there
is power they quickly put on their computer and place their message on the web,
some have
a generator.
- In the month of January 2009, approximately 400 children were
killed in Gaza. In a population of 1.5 million people that is very much
compared to the number of child murders in the netherlands: about
60 per year.
- United Nations relief and works agency for Palestine refugees
UNWRa give children who live in a state of siege the opportunity to express
themselves and have fun. This summer children had
6300 kites
up in the air.
http://tinyurl.com/DashedHopes
Labels: MiddleEast
Conseo.png)
Journalisten
mogen Gaza niet in. Deze foto is gemaakt met bijzondere
middelen.
Het extremisme moet aangepakt worden, niet de bewoners. Het
inwonertal in de Gaza strook is nog geen 10 procent van het inwonertal
van nederland. Toch lijkt extremistische praat in nederland de overhand
te hebben. Waarom? Weliswaar kent het zelfstandig bestuur van Gaza grote
problemen. Maar egypte is voor de inwoners meer vertrouwd dan europa. Naar mijn mening is het aan egypte om de fouten goed te maken.
