|
25-01-2007 ICRC News West Bank and Gaza – ICRC Bulletin No. 18 / 2007 Latest report on ICRC activities in the field
Over the past week, military operations have been carried out by the Israeli army in the northern part of the West Bank. These have affected the Palestinian population, with people being wounded or killed. In many parts of the West Bank, especially Nablus, Jenin and Ramallah districts, restrictions on movement imposed by the Israeli authorities have eased and people have been able to travel more freely in and out of the towns for business and for private purposes. There have, however, been no significant changes regarding access by people and goods to Gaza. All crossing points between Israel and Gaza have remained open throughout the week, but with restrictions that severely limit the number of Gaza residents allowed to cross. (About one thousand have been let through.) The Rafah terminal, linking Gaza to Egypt, remained closed throughout the week. The rate of destruction of Palestinian houses in East Jerusalem has risen dramatically in recent weeks. Since 15 January, seven houses have been demolished on orders from the Israeli authorities and 13 families lost their homes. The grounds for the demolitions were the lack of construction permits. However, extremely complicated procedures and rigid zoning laws make it close to impossible for East Jerusalemites to obtain the required permission. The strike by Palestinian Authority civil servants, which had caused further deterioration in an already alarming economic situation in the Palestinian territories, officially ended and the population were finally able to receive the services of which they had been deprived for six months, including basic documents such as birth certificates, passports, identification papers, driving licences and vehicle registration. Some shops had reopened the credit accounts for government employees as their salaries were likely to be paid soon. The ICRC delivered consignments of medicines and disposables for surgical patients to the central medical stores in Ramallah, Hebron and Nablus. These shipments will help to treat over 7,000 patients of government hospitals in the West Bank. In the Jordan Valley, the ICRC began construction of a water pump for use by 850 farmers of Marj Naje village. This investment supplements other ICRC water-supply projects (extension, repair and upgrading of distribution networks, pumps, and tanks) under way across the West Bank in Hebron, Bethlehem, Qalqilia and Tulkarem districts. An estimated 158,000 persons will benefit from these projects over the next few months. The ICRC has organized five visits by veterinarians to two villages in Bethlehem district and three villages in Jenin district to examine sheep that were supplied to families in the past month. The ICRC gave 822 pregnant sheep as well as feed for them to 274 families in the West Bank in order to provide a minimum sustainable income for people especially affected by the consequences of the West Bank Barrier, closures and the general breakdown of the Palestinian economy. In Gaza, the ICRC donated over a tonne of wheat flour to Shoka municipality (south Gaza Strip) for distribution to Bedouin families. After the Bedouins from Shoka fled the fighting last year, their agricultural land was destroyed and some of their dwellings levelled. In Tulkarem and Qalikilia districts in the northern West Bank, the ICRC provided about 100 farmers with building materials to renovate their greenhouses. The farmers, who live and work close to the West Bank Barrier, had problems obtaining the materials because of restrictions on movements imposed by the Israeli authorities. In the past week, 4,564 people from Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus, Tulkarem, Qalqilia, Salfit, Jenin, Tubas, Ramallah and Jericho districts visited relatives being held in 22 places of detention in Israel. The ICRC hired 146 buses and 52 taxis for the purpose and facilitated their movement in coordination with the Israeli authorities. The ICRC maintained its contacts with the authorities and with various Palestinian groups, and constantly reiterated its request to have access to the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Through these contacts and its public statements, the ICRC urged those holding the soldier to treat him humanely, to respect his life and dignity and to allow him to communicate with his family.
For further information, please contact: |
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/ICRCBulletinNo1807a.pdf https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/ICRCBulletinNo1807f.pdf https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/ICRCBulletinNo1807s.pdf
Document Type: Arabic text, French text, Press Release, Spanish text
Document Sources: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Subject: Assistance, Gaza Strip, Health, Social issues
Publication Date: 25/01/2007