The
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) releases today a new report on the
“Illegal Closure of the Gaza Strip: Collective Punishment of the Civilian
Population”.
The
absolute closure of Gaza was imposed by Israel following the Hamas takeover in
June 2007.For more than three years and a half, this most extreme form of
closure has been continuously applied to the so-called “hostile entity” that is
the Gaza Strip, cutting off 1.7 million individuals from the outside world.
Gazans
are not allowed to travel, with few exceptions mainly for humanitarian reasons.
Imports
to Gaza have been prohibited, with only limited quantities of basic goods,
mainly food, allowed entry for ‘humanitarian’ reasons. Israel has also imposed
a total ban on the exports of the Gaza Strip’s products.
This
100-page report details the devastating impact of the current absolute closure
of Gaza on the socio-economic level and the denial of the fundamental human
rights of the entire population of Gaza.
Such
an impact have been exacerbated by Israel’s 27 December 2008-18 January 2009
military operation (codenamed “operation Cast Lead”)which caused extensive
death and injuries of Palestinian civilians, and destruction of houses and
civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and industry. In the
aftermath of the offensive, Israel illegally refused to open the borders of
Gaza, thus impeding the passage of goods necessary for recovery and
reconstruction. Nothing has substantially changed even after the alleged
‘easing’ of the closure, announced by Israel following the deadly attack on the
humanitarian flotilla en route to Gaza on 31 May 2010.
The
half of the people of Gaza is now unemployed and 4 out of 5 families are
dependent on ‘humanitarian’ aid. 95% of the industrial establishments have
closed or suspended their work due to the restrictions placed on the import of
raw materials and as a result of the inability to export their products.
According to UN sources, the poverty levels in the Gaza Strip are among the
highest in the world.
By
denying a people their ability to work and their right to move; by depriving
families of the ability to rebuild their homes, which have been reduced to
rubble; and by forcing individuals to give up generations old family
traditions, an entire population is being reduced to a ‘humanitarian problem’.
The whole of Gaza’s civilian population is being punished for acts
for which they bear no responsibility. The closure constitutes a collective
punishment imposed in clear violation of Israel’s obligations under
international humanitarian law.
The
situation in Gaza cannot be isolated from the overall context of the occupation
of the Palestinian territory. Equally, the closure policy is not a new
phenomenon or one that is limited to the Gaza Strip. Israel has subjected the
occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) to an illegal policy of harsh restrictions
for almost two decades.
This
report details the Israeli authorities’ responsibilities for the implementation
of this illegal closure policy, which violates fundamental principles of
international humanitarian law and the most basic human rights of the
Palestinian population.
The
International community has the duty to take measures to put an end to the
closure of Gaza, which is inherently illegal and criminal in its nature. The
High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions have the duty to respect and
ensure respect for the Conventions.This entails a duty to investigate and
prosecute those responsiblefor grave breaches of the Conventions and to bring
the perpetrators to justice before their own national courts (Art. 147 IV GC).
By
failing to do so the international community bears responsibility for the
manufactured ‘humanitarian’ crisis that is destroying Gaza, and for the serious
violations of international law perpetrated against the Palestinian civilian
population.
For
more details and information please contact:
RajiSourani,
Director
Chantal
Meloni, International Legal Unit
