PCHR Calls for Full and Immediate Ending of the Closure and Warns of Repercussions of Its Institutionalization and Continuity
The
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) is gravely concerned over
the continuity of the Israeli-imposed closure on the Gaza Strip for the
eighth consecutive year and dissatisfied by the mechanism of the
reconstruction of the Gaza Strip that was declared by the UN Middle East
Envoy. Moreover, PCHR is concerned that this mechanism would
institutionalize the Israeli closure that has been imposed since 2007.
PCHR calls for fully and immediately lift the Israeli closure as it
constitutes a form of collective punishment that is prohibited under the
international humanitarian law. Ending the closure includes eliminating
all restrictions imposed on the freedom of movement of persons and
goods, including imports and exports, to and from the Gaza Strip.
According
to media sources, the UN Middle East Envoy Robert Serry stated on 16
September 2014 that the United Nations, Israel and the Palestinian
Authority had reached a deal to allow reconstruction work to begin in
the war-torn Gaza Strip under international observation of the use of
materials. According to Reuters, Serry told the UN Security Council that
the United Nations had brokered the deal 'to enable work at the scale
required in the strip, involving the private sector in Gaza and giving a
leading role to the Palestinian Authority in the reconstruction effort,
while providing security assurances through UN monitoring that these
materials will not be diverted from their entirely civilian purpose.'
The
only right way to end the disastrous impacts of the Israeli offensive
on the Gaza Strip is to immediately lift the illegal closure on the Gaza
Strip, allow the freedom of movement of persons and goods and make a
dramatic change in the Israeli policies in order to put an end to the
current crisis under which the Gaza Strip population has been living.
The entry of limited types and quantities of goods will never make a
real change on the economic and social levels in the Gaza Strip, but
will worsen the situation. Therefore, any deal that does not include the
entry of basic needs, the freedom of movement of goods, including
imports from and exports to the West Bank, Israel
and abroad, and the freedom of movement of persons from and to the Gaza
Strip, falls within the institutionalization of the Israeli-imposed
closure and does not seriously contribute to the reconstruction process
or improving the deteriorating humanitarian situation.
Institutionalization of the closure means disregarding the principles of
the international humanitarian and human rights laws, including the
Fourth Geneva convention 1949.
Since
2007, the Gaza Strip has been suffering due to the illegal Israeli
closure that has resulted in disastrous impacts on all aspects of life
and deterioration of the
humanitarian, economic, social and cultural conditions. Moreover, the
number of unemployed persons in the Gaza Strip has risen to about
200,000 supporting about 900,000 persons according to the Palestinian
General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU). According to the
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), the number of the poor
has increased up to 700,000 persons (38.8% of the total population),
380,000 of whom suffer extreme poverty (21.1%). The latest Israeli
offensive on the Gaza Strip has left huge destruction, due to which the
Gaza Strip needs 5 years to be reconstructed on condition that the
border crossings are fully open and 300 tons of cement, 1,600 tons of
construction steel and 6,000 tons of aggregate are allowed in the Gaza
Strip according to construction companies' estimates.
The
international community has failed throughout the past 8 years to
support the application of the provisions of the international
humanitarian and human rights laws. This has been a shame for the High
Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 as they
have failed to take actions under their legal obligations to compel the
Israeli authorities to respect that Convention and stop all policies
that violate the Palestinians' economic, social, cultural, civil and
political rights.
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