-- control of the Palestinian Population Registry; it allows Israel to decide through a system of identity cards - who's a Palestinian, who resides in Gaza and the West Bank, and who may or may not enter or leave either Territory.
Israeli Actions Against Gaza and Their Consequences
Since dismantling Gaza's settlements in 2005, Israel undertook a number of actions that are repressive and violate international law:
A. Military action
-- even before the latest invasion and mass-killings, Dugard reported through late last year - 290 Gaza killings of which at least one-third were civilians; on September 26 when he was in Gaza, IDF missiles killed 12 Palestinians; after the November 27 Annapolis meeting, over 70 Palestinians were killed (up to an unmentioned date), including eight in a "major military operation in southern Gaza" the day before the Annapolis session began.
-- Dugard noted the frequency of targeted killings and other IDF international law violations; he further stated that Israeli security forces killed 668 Palestinians in Gaza in the "past two years (2006 and 2007)" and over half of them (359) were uninvolved in hostilities; 126 were minors; 361 were by missile attacks; and 29 were targeted killings; during the same period, Palestinian rockets killed four Israeli civilians and injured "hundreds;" four Israeli security forces were also killed.
B. Closure of crossings
An additional effect was to strand 6000 Palestinians on the Egyptian side with inadequate accommodations and facilities; they were denied their right to return home, and, as a result, 30 people died from neglect or inability to treat illness.
C. Reducing fuel and electricity
This action followed the September 19 declaration of Gaza as a "hostile territory;" ten Israeli and Palestinian NGOs petitioned Israel's High Court to halt the action on humanitarian grounds and because it constitutes collective punishment against innocent civilians; nonetheless, the Israeli Supreme Court upheld the action, and by last October, supplies were cut by more than half; since then, they continue being drastically reduced.
D. Terminating banking facilities
After September 19, the two Israeli commercial banks in Gaza (Bank Hapoalim and Discount Bank) suspended operations in the Territory; henceforth, they refused to clear checks, handle cash transfers or supply Israeli shekels that's the official Occupied Territory (OPT) currency; it effectively halted Gaza's monetary system.
E. Gaza's humanitarian crisis
All the above actions produced a devastating humanitarian crisis, Dugard covered it through late last year, and conditions continue deteriorating:
1. Food
As of last year, over 80% of Gazans needed food aid - from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the World Food Program (WFP); what's available is very basic and excludes fruits, vegetables, meat and fish; the aid is vital but extremely inadequate.
I am a 72 year old, retired, progressive small businessman concerned about all the major national and world issues, committed to speak out and write about them.
It is the Palestinians that have no right to exist. It is time for Israel to stop being a Jewish state. It is time for massive emmigration to the U.S. Too many people. Not enough water.
by
John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1196 comments)
on Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 5:32:10 PM
1 comments
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