Health conditions in the OPT and Golan – WHO World Health Assembly – Resolution

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Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian
territory, including east Jerusalem,
and in the occupied Syrian Golan

The Sixty-first World Health Assembly,

Mindful of the basic principle established in the Constitution of WHO, which affirms that the health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security;

Recalling all its previous resolutions on health conditions in the occupied Arab territories;

Taking note of the report of the Director-General on the health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan;¹

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¹ Document A61/18 Rev.1.[Link]

Stressing the essential role of UNRWA in providing crucial health and education services in the occupied Palestinian territory particularly in addressing the emergency needs in the Gaza Strip;

Expressing its concern at the deterioration of economic and health conditions as well as the humanitarian crisis resulting from the continued occupation and the severe restrictions imposed by Israel, the occupying power;

Expressing its concern also at the health crisis and rising levels of food insecurity in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip;

Affirming the need for guaranteeing universal coverage of health services and for preserving the functions of the public health services in the occupied Palestinian territory;

Recognizing that the acute shortage of financial and medical resources in the Palestinian Ministry of Health, which is responsible for running and financing public health services, jeopardizes the access of the Palestinian population to curative and preventive services;

Affirming the right of Palestinian patients and medical staff to have access to the Palestinian health institutions in occupied east Jerusalem;

Deploring the incidents involving lack of respect and protection for Palestinian ambulances and medical personnel by the Israeli army, which led to casualties among Palestinian medical personnel, as well as the restrictions on movement imposed on them by Israel, the occupying power, in violation of international humanitarian law;

Expressing deep concern at the grave implication of the wall on the accessibility and quality of medical services received by the Palestinian population in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem;

Expressing deep concern also at the serious implications for pregnant women and patients of Israeli restriction of movement imposed on Palestinian ambulances and medical personnel,

1. DEMANDS that Israel, the occupying power:

(1) lift immediately the closure in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly the closure of the crossing points of the occupied Gaza Strip that are causing the serious shortage of medicines and medical supplies therein, and comply in this regard with the provisions of the Israeli-Palestinian Agreement on Movement and Access of November 2005;

(2) reverse its policies and measures that have led to the prevailing dire health conditions and severe food and fuel shortages in the Gaza Strip;

(3) comply with the advisory opinion rendered on 9 July 2004 by the International Court of Justice on the wall which, inter alia, has grave implications on the accessibility and quality of medical services received by the Palestinian population in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem;

(4) facilitate the access of Palestinian patients and medical staff to the Palestinian health institutions in occupied east Jerusalem and abroad;

(5) pay the Palestinian Authority all its remaining customs and health insurance revenues, regularly and without delay, in order to enable it to fulfil its responsibilities with respect to basic human needs, including health services;

(6) ensure unhindered and safe passage for Palestinian ambulances as well as respect and protection of medical personnel, in compliance with international humanitarian law;

(7) improve the living and medical conditions of Palestinian detainees, particularly children, women and patients;

(8) facilitate the transit and entry of medicine and medical equipment to the occupied Palestinian territory;

(9) shoulder its responsibility towards the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people and their daily access to humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, in compliance with international humanitarian law;

(10) halt immediately all its practices, policies and plans, including its policy of closure, that seriously affect the health conditions of civilians under occupation;

(11) facilitate the work of UNRWA and other international organizations and ensure the free movement of their staff and aid provisions;

2. URGES Member States and intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations:

(1) to help overcome the health crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory by providing assistance to the Palestinian people;

(2) to help lift the restrictions and obstacles imposed on the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory;

(3) to remind Israel, the occupying power, to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949;

(4) to support and assist the Palestinian Ministry of Health in carrying out its duties including running and financing public health services;

(5) to provide financial and technical support to the Palestinian public health and veterinary services;

3. EXPRESSES its deep appreciation to the Director-General for the efforts to provide necessary assistance to the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and to the Syrian population in the occupied Syrian Golan;

4. REQUESTS the Director-General:

(1) to provide support to the Palestinian health and veterinary services including capacity building;

(2) to submit a fact-finding report on the health and economic situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan;

(3) to support the establishment of medical facilities and provide health-related technical assistance for the Syrian population in the occupied Syrian Golan;

(4) to continue providing necessary technical assistance in order to meet the health needs of the Palestinian people, including the handicapped and injured;

(5) to support the development of the health system in Palestine, including development of human resources;

(6) to report on implementation of this resolution to the Sixty-second World Health Assembly.

Seventh plenary meeting, 23 May 2008

A61/VR/7

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