Occupied Palestinian Territories - Humanitarian Update, July 2008

Summary of monthly Humanitarian Monitor report produced by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

JULY OVERVIEW

Thousands of Palestinian civilians were directly affected by protection incidents, including people killed, injured, arrested, displaced or affected by the closure of institutions providing aid.

In the West Bank, 221 unarmed civilians, including 44 children, were injured by Israeli security forces during military activities, more than half of them in anti-Barrier demonstrations in Ni'lin and Bil'in villages (western Ramallah). One ten-year-old boy was shot at his head and killed by the Israeli Border Police, following the end of one of these demonstrations in Ni'lin. Moreover, this month OCHA recorded 41 incidents involving Israeli settlers targeting Palestinians and their property, the highest monthly total since the last olive harvest season. As a result of these incidents, nine Palestinians were injured. In East Jerusalem, almost 100 people, including 45 children, were displaced following the demolition of their homes due to the lack of building permits. Over 400 Palestinians in the West Bank were reportedly arrested by the Israeli security forces, two-fold more than in June, and 172 by PA security forces, the highest number since last December.

Civilians in the Gaza Strip were affected by a significant increase in Palestinian inter-factional fighting, family feuds and other related incidents, which resulted in the killing of 14 people, including two children, and the injury of 67 others, including seven children. Moreover, over 270 people were detained this month by the security forces of the de facto Hamas government.

Raids and closures of community-based institutions continued. In the West Bank, the IDF raided several institutions affiliated with Islamic charities in Nablus district and closed some of them, disrupting services to over 3,000 children, most of them orphans. In the Gaza Strip, Hamas security forces raided and closed down over 184 community-based organisations allegedly connected to Fatah, some of them running programmes supported by UN agencies. These raids and closures disrupted activities involving thousands of beneficiaries.

Gaza ceasefire: In Gaza, while the truce continued to hold, one unarmed civilian was killed by the IDF. Overall, despite the significant decrease in casualties, the population of Gaza saw little tangible dividend from the truce. The amount of commodities remained far below actual needs as the level of imports was 46% below the level in May 2007 (one month before the Hamas takeover that triggered the full closure). The restrictions on imports, combined with the total ban on exports, kept 95% of Gaza's local industry closed. Only 990 people succeeded in crossing Rafah (Gaza's border with Egypt), compared to over 18,000 in May 2007. Further, as of the end of the month, one-third of requests for permits to exit Gaza for medical treatment submitted to the Israeli authorities, was either rejected or still being processed.

In the West Bank, movement and access did not improve. Two major checkpoints, Wadi Nar/Container and Jab'a, were further entrenched by new renovations and expansions. There was a 190% increase in "flying" or random checkpoints - from 76 to 221/week, mostly in the Hebron area. Movement for UN humanitarian vehicles remained restricted at Jerusalem crossings. About 80% of UNRWA attempts to pass their vehicles through the 'Tunnels' checkpoint without a search, failed, and resulted in a longer and more expensive re-routing.

Water crisis in the West Bank stemming from the ongoing drought deepened due to the increased demand for water during the summer season. Approximately 200 rural communities in the West Bank with an estimated population of 200,000 are struggling to meet their domestic and livestock water needs.

ISSUES IN FOCUS

Four years from the ICJ advisory opinion - construction of the Barrier continues

On 9 July 2004, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion on the Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The opinion found that the sections of the Barrier running inside the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, together with the associated gate and permit regime, violated Israel's obligations under international law. Accordingly, the ICJ called on Israel to cease construction, to dismantle the sections already completed and revoke the permit and gate regime. As of the end of July 2008, four years on, Barrier construction continues and the permit and gates regime is gradually tightening and expanding over additional areas.

To date, approximately 57% of the Barrier's final route has been completed and 9% are under construction. The majority of the route, approximately 87%, runs inside the West Bank, rather than along the Green Line. When complete, the Barrier will isolate 9.8% of West Bank territory and leave approximately 35,000 Palestinians between the Barrier and the Green Line, in addition to the majority of the 250,000 Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. Another 151,000 Palestinians will be surrounded on three or four sides by the Barrier.

In the northern West Bank, approximately 10,000 Palestinians currently live in enclaves located between the Barrier and the Green Line which were declared closed by military order. The majority require 'permanent resident' permits from the Israeli military to continue to live in their own homes. Children, patients and workers have to pass through gates to reach schools, medical facilities and workplaces and to maintain family and social relations. A far greater number of Palestinians living east of the Barrier have been isolated from farms, grazing lands and water resources located on the west side. In the northern West Bank, these Palestinians need 'visitor' permits to cross the Barrier to reach their farms and wells located in the closed area, while in the central areas 'prior coordination' with the Israeli authorities is required. According to a UNOCHA-UNRWA survey, less than 20% of those Palestinians who used to farm their lands in these areas before completion of the Barrier, are now granted permits. Even if granted, permits are not always issued to the most appropriate person. Moreover, the irregular placement of the gates and the restrictive opening times severely curtail the time available for farming with negative impact on rural livelihoods.

The Government of Israel stated in numerous occasions that the purpose of the Barrier is to prevent attacks on Israeli civilians and that its route is dictated exclusively by security considerations. However, according to recent Israeli media reports, the IDF Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, said that "the route is a political issue and therefore it must be determined by the government".

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

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