Palestinian conditions getting worse from Israeli blockades
Palestine-Israel-UN, Politics, 9/27/2006

The UN commissioner for Palestinian refugees today urged the world to put pressure on Israel to end its blockades of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, saying conditions there going from bad to worse.

"Without access neither people nor goods can move and refugees cannot reach the services they need," in the Palestinian territories," United Nations Relief and Works Agency chief Karen Koning Abu Zayd told reporters in Amman.

"Access problems make our operations ever more cumbersome, inefficient and costly. We are very concerned about the human impact of the closure," Abu Zayd said.

She appealed to donor countries that finance UNRWA humanitarian activities across the Palestinian territories to pressure Israel to ease its blockades.

"The political front is where we need your leadership. UNRWA is not involved in the political sphere but we face consequences of political decisions on a daily basis," she said.

Abu Zayd spoke of 70 percent unemployment and poverty level in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

"Our latest food distribution has been delayed because of severe difficulties getting goods through the Karni crossing," between Israel and the Gaza Strip, she said.

The crossing has been kept largely closed by Israel.

"Fuel and construction materials are only recently available and exports were largely blocked until 10 days ago," she added.

The situation in the West Bank was little better, she said.

"We implore you to keep the West Bank in mind. West Bank commerce is reduced to a trickle by the barrier around Jerusalem (al-Quds)...

and a draconian permit regime which limits movement of people and goods and prevents refugees and non-refugees alike from leading normal lives," she said.

She also singled out the city of al-Khalil where she said Israeli 'settler violence... forced out over half the Palestinian population in some neighborhoods in downtown Hebron (al-Khalil)'.

"The once-bustling downtown area is now surreally desolate of commerce and presents a harrowing existence for those few Palestinians who dare to remain or who are too deep in poverty to move elsewhere," Abu Zayd said.

Abu Zayd is in Jordan for talks with representatives of donor nations to plan the future budgets and activities of UNRWA which cares for some 4.2 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon as well as in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Previous Stories:
  Rice, Livni on dealing with unity Palestinian government   (9/14/2006)
  Israeli police bans peace cycle delegation from traveling to Hebron   (9/14/2006)
  Human Rights Watch calls on Israeli troops not to fire on Gaza medics   (9/14/2006)
  Abbas on Quartet, UNSC to reactivate UN Resolutions   (9/14/2006)
  UN called to compel Israel to cease military attacks   (8/31/2006)

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