Occupied Palestinian Territories - Humanitarian Update, September 2008

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

SEPTEMBER OVERVIEW

Internal tensions between authorities in Gaza and Ramallah are having an increasing humanitarian impact on Gazans' access to basic services, while Israel's closure of the Gaza crossing points continues, with only a slight increase in the number of truckloads allowed entry. The ongoing closure has resulted in the proliferation of tunnels linking Rafah and Egypt, as Palestinians search for alternative means to import goods. However, more Palestinians were killed in tunnel collapses and related incidents in September then as a result of Israeli military activity in the oPt. In the West Bank, IDF restrictions on Palestinian movement are being further entrenched. The IDF resumed demolition of structures in Area C this month after a four-month lull and anti-Barrier demonstrations and related Israeli military activity again resulted in the majority of West Bank injuries.

Protection
Intense clashes between Hamas-affiliated security forces and the Dugmush family resulted in the death of 13 people, including three children, and the injury of 43 others. An additional 13 Palestinians were killed and ten injured in tunnel-related incidents in Rafah in the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, five unarmed civilians were killed, including two children, and 130 others were injured, including 75 children, more than half of them in Barrier-related incidents. The attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property continued, but in smaller numbers. However, given the intensity of recent attacks, along with previous annual trends, there are concerns for the safety of Palestinian farmers about to embark on this year's olive harvest.

In the West Bank, 36 structures, including 17 used as seasonal residences, were demolished during the implementation of evacuation orders by the Israeli military. The structures belonged to herders living in four small hamlets in the Mu'arrajat area of the eastern Ramallah governorate. These were the first of their kind since April 2008. Concern exists for the future of an additional eight families of herders who received verbal and written evacuation orders against 38 structures, including at least eight residences. If carried out, 97 people, including 51 children, will be displaced.

Access and Movement in the oPt
A recently issued OCHA report notes that despite some positive steps taken by the Government of Israel that aimed at easing internal movement for Palestinians in the West Bank, their impact remains limited geographically. Of the 100 unstaffed obstacles that the Israeli authorities announced that they had removed during the period covered by the report (30 April to 11 September 2008), only 25 were significant and counted by OCHA. Moreover, the number of obstacles increased by 3.3%. Overall, the OCHA survey found that the system of IDF-imposed movement restrictions is being further entrenched.

Access for more than 60% of the Palestinian population to pray at Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem was denied during the holy month of Ramadan (1-29 September). Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were denied entry, while the access of West Bank ID holders was regulated by a special age-based permit regime, valid only on the four Fridays during the month. This permit regime was better organised this year, resulted in less violence, and allowed greater numbers of Palestinians to attend prayers at the Al Aqsa mosque than during previous years.

There continued to be little improvement in the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza. The number of truckloads of imported goods allowed into Gaza increased slightly compared to August 2008. A total of 4,049 truckloads were allowed entry in September (compared to 3,565 in August), 42% of which were food supplies. The ongoing lack of imports, and hence limited transactions, closed businesses, high rates of unemployment and the lack of coordination between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank authorities, continued to damage the private sector in Gaza.

Erez and Rafah crossings remained restricted during September. Erez continued to be open only for the movement of some diplomats, humanitarian workers, businessmen and critical medical cases with special coordination arrangements. A reported number of 2,122 Palestinians, 638 of whom were medical cases and 296 Palestinian businessmen, crossed to Israel and the West Bank during the month. The number of patients that crossed Erez during the first four weeks of September decreased by 38%, compared to the first four weeks of August. The Egyptian authorities reopened Rafah crossing in both directions on three days only during September. Approximately 2,676 Palestinians crossed to Egypt and 781 Palestinian patients returned to Gaza. Some 800 students who had been registered to leave for study abroad were stranded in Gaza when the crossing was shut early on 21 September.

Health and education in the Gaza Strip
The political tension between Gaza and Ramallah authorities continued throughout the month, affecting the access of the population of Gaza to basic services. Teacher strikes, which were extended on a weekly basis at 381 PA schools in Gaza, affected around 250,000 pupils. Though the impact of the health strike was more acute at the beginning of the month, by the end, all 11 hospitals, all but two PHC (Primary Health Clinics) centres, and all community mental health centres were functioning at full capacity and providing all services. However, there are concerns regarding the quality and timely provision of services. Of concern was the delay in the preparation and delivery of medical orders from the Central Drugs Store (CDS) to health facilities, as 48% of personnel in the CDS were on strike. The lack of coordination between Ramallah and Gaza authorities also affected the services provided by the CMWU (Coastal Municipalities Water Utility), leaving some 250,000 Gazans facing a severe water shortage.

Finally of considerable concern is the increasing number of drug items on the Essential Drug List that have reached zero level. Responsibility for the delivery of medical supplies to the Gaza Strip transferred from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) in Ramallah in August. Since then, WHO monitoring indicates a growing shortage of drug items at the CDS in the Gaza Strip; by mid-August, 48 (11.5%) drug items out of the 416 most used essential drug list in the oPt were at zero level. In September, patients in Gaza demonstrated outside the CDS in Gaza, requesting the immediate delivery of essential drugs, such as for cancer treatment and hemodialysis.

ISSUES IN FOCUS

More than 60% of Palestinian population denied access to Jerusalem for prayer during Ramadan

Access for more than 60% of the Palestinian population to pray at Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem was denied during the holy month of Ramadan (1-29 September). Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were denied entry, while the access of West Bank ID holders was regulated by a special permit regime, valid only on the four Fridays during the month. Special age-restricted "prayer" permits were issued for men between the ages of 45 and 50 and women between 30 and 45, who are married with children and had passed a security screening. Men and women above these ages and children below 13 were allowed for Fridays' prayers without a permit. Elderly and disabled people who met the age criteria, however, were frequently unable to access Jerusalem because the person assisting them did not meet the age requirements. The Ministry of Waqf and Religious Affairs estimated that 90,000, 120,000, 200,000, and 320,000 Muslims attended prayers at Al Aqsa Mosque during each of the four Fridays, respectively. These figures included Palestinian worshippers with Israeli citizenship, Jerusalem residents, West Bank ID holders and other Muslims.

The Israeli military maintained a heavy presence at Qalandiya and Gilo checkpoints each Friday, when OCHA monitors witnessed cases of Israeli soldiers pushing and occasionally hitting people to control the large crowds attempting to pass. There were reported cases of individuals denied access, despite possessing valid permits or meeting age requirements. Overall, however, access to Jerusalem during Ramadan this year was better organized, resulted in less violence, and allowed greater numbers of Palestinians to attend prayers at the Al Aqsa mosque than during the past few years.

Within the West Bank, opening hours were extended during Ramadan at the checkpoints around Nablus and at several others in the north. Also, Palestinians with Israeli citizenships, who have been denied access to Nablus City since the beginning of the intifada, were allowed to enter the city in their vehicles during Ramadan.

The Right to Freedom of Movement under international law

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 13
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State. 2. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 12
1. Everyone lawfully within the territory of a State shall, within that territory, have the right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose his residence.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

© Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA 2003.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 07-Jan-2009 14:06:50 EST
This page: http://apheda.org.au/projects/mideast/news/1231295856_30155.html