Top Ten reasons for Lifting the Blockade of Gaza

[nab 74]

http://blog.amnestyu...ockade-of-gaza/

http://www.chasingev...lockade-of.html

10. 80% of the population is dependent on international aid

9. 61% of the population is food insecure

8. Unemployment rate is around 39%, one of the highest in the world

7. Power outages usually last 4-6 hours a day and often longer

6. 60% of Gaza's population receives running water only once every 4 or 5 days, for 6-8 hours

5. 50 to 80 million liters of untreated or partially treated sewage are released into the sea every day

4. About 90% of water supplied to Gaza residents is not suitable for drinking and is contaminated with salt and nitrates

3. 78% of homes with major damages from Operation Cast Lead have not been rebuilt

These are the key humanitarian indicators of Gaza as listed in a new report by a coalition of 22 development, human rights, and peace-building organizations. The report Dashed Hopes: Continuation of the Gaza Blockade (pdf) describes the lack of change in Gaza despite Israel's pledge to ease the blockade. The report calls for the international community to renew action for an immediate, unconditional, and complete lifting of the blockade and comes shortly after Tony Blair, the international Mideast envoy, emphasized that Israel needs to ease the blockade after meeting with the Israeli prime minister:

There has been significant change in Gaza, but not nearly as much as we need

His words echo the September statement made by EU foreign policy Chief Catherine Ashton, who stated

Gaza remains a source of great concern for me … at the present time, we think that what's happened with Gaza is unsatisfactory, the volume of goods is not increasing as significantly as it needs to.

While the international community has relaxed its pressure on Israel, little has been done to ease the restrictions for the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza, half of whom are children. According to the report, Israel has not only neglected to ease the blockade but also failed to live up to various commitments it made.

Israel promised to expand and accelerate imports of construction-materials for UN and other international reconstruction projects. Israel has thus far only approved the import of materials for 25 UNRWA schools and clinics, for which only a fraction of the necessary materials has been allowed to enter Gaza. Furthermore, the approved plans represent only seven percent of UNRWA's total reconstruction strategy. This fall 40,000 eligible children were unable to enroll in UN schools because materials were unavailable for building construction. Additionally, the UN estimates that rebuilding houses alone will require 670,000 truckloads of construction materials, a tough number to meet when an average of only 715 truckloads per month have entered the Gaza Strip since June.

The so-called 'easing' has had no impact on the current ban on exports. Two-thirds of industrial businesses in Gaza have closed and the remainders are operating at partial capacity due to the stagnant economy. Production in Gaza cannot compete with the influx of finished consumer goods entering the Strip and undercutting the local economy.

No Freedom of Movement

For the majority of people living in Gaza the freedom to travel, work, study, or visit family and friends outside the blockade has been continually denied. The exception to this is the increase in flows of businesspeople, who have been allowed to travel across the border. However, despite this improvement, the number of Palestinians in Gaza crossing into Israel remains below one percent of levels prior to the second intifada in 2000.

The Top Two Reasons

2. The blockade is collectively punishing the entire civilian population, and is thus illegal under international law

1. You tell me (There is a comment section below, or just shoot me a tweet @ckoettl…)

"[CE strongly supports Amnesty International in this effort.]

[^_^ 5,021]

####### kinda bureaucratic term is "food insecure"??

Bureaucrats are ruining this planet by desensitizing us with language like that.

[nab 74]

####### kinda bureaucratic term is "food insecure"??

Bureaucrats are ruining this planet by desensitizing us with language like that.

from what i've heard (granted i did not see with my own eyes) much is allowed to rot before being given over to them and they are barely receiving enough to keep alive...

i'm a very frugal shopper and can stretch a budget like no one i know to feed many people and even i would have a very hard time feeding a family on the little amounts they are allowed to receive. if i can find it again i will post the amounts of flour, sugar, beans, rice, etc.

Edited December 1, 2010 by nab

[^_^ 5,021]

from what i've heard (granted i did not see with my own eyes) much is allowed to rot before being given over to them

so in other words, that could be propaganda.

[Harsh_77 716]

Stop bombing and killing ppl in name of your god and infidels and most of the world would not have problem.

It is ironic ppl who tell all the time how friendly and humane their religion are the fisrt one bombing and killing innocent ppl in name of religion.

What should we do with the recent Somali guy who wanted to bomb the Christmas tree lighting event????

[^_^ 5,021]

What should we do with the recent Somali guy who wanted to bomb the Christmas tree lighting event????

Prison. Mistakenly assign him to be housed with the boys from the Aryan Nation. Bada bing, bada boom. Bada BOOM BOOM BOOM.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Here's a solution. Turn over administrative powers to Egypt, or Saudi Arabia and they can deal with supplying utilities to Palestine.

[Ban Hammer 12,903]

Here's a solution. Turn over administrative powers to Egypt, or Saudi Arabia and they can deal with supplying utilities to Palestine.

except i think egypt doesn't want it.

[The_Dude 1,142]

except i think egypt doesn't want it.

Nobody does.

[nab 74]

so in other words, that could be propaganda.

could be except that i trust the person who told me he saw it and how they taunt the people with the food literally right out of their reach. i put the disclaimer in there because i do not normally repeat things i have not seen or experienced for myself.

i cant find the exact amounts that are allowed per family (God help you if you have many children as well as grandparent and parents depending on you) but truly what most people consider 'very little' i can usually stretch and feed 4x what their family size is (or more!) but these people are kept on starvation rations.... there is a reason for that, just like some prisons do it, if you keep them weak they cannot fight back. when you allow people 25%of the food they need to thrive that IS starvation rations.

http://www.gazagateway.org/2009/09/no-development-no-prosperity-no-humanitarian-crisis/

Harsh_77, if people were driving you from your home, cutting off your access of mobility (you cannot get to work, you cannot get your family to doctors, your children have no access to education, etc), i wonder how you would react? just sit back while they bulldoze your home and your neighbor's home.... hmmm, somehow i dont think so.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I think they would have more credibility if they didn't elect Hamas or Hezbollah to head its government.

[^_^ 5,021]

all they have to do is stop supporting terrorism against israel and the pain will go away.

[Harsh_77 716]

could be except that i trust the person who told me he saw it and how they taunt the people with the food literally right out of their reach. i put the disclaimer in there because i do not normally repeat things i have not seen or experienced for myself.

i cant find the exact amounts that are allowed per family (God help you if you have many children as well as grandparent and parents depending on you) but truly what most people consider 'very little' i can usually stretch and feed 4x what their family size is (or more!) but these people are kept on starvation rations.... there is a reason for that, just like some prisons do it, if you keep them weak they cannot fight back. when you allow people 25%of the food they need to thrive that IS starvation rations.

http://www.gazagateway.org/2009/09/no-development-no-prosperity-no-humanitarian-crisis/

Harsh_77, if people were driving you from your home, cutting off your access of mobility (you cannot get to work, you cannot get your family to doctors, your children have no access to education, etc), i wonder how you would react? just sit back while they bulldoze your home and your neighbor's home.... hmmm, somehow i dont think so.

Nab - thats how I feel when they come bombing me and my country coz we do not believe in their god(who is supposed to be the best. What about me do they care coz of their stupidity I have to go thru TSA pat down and give up on my liberties.

First place if they would and their preachers would stop giving this ####### speach about their religion is best and their god is the ultimate, they will not have to go thru what they are going thru and other ppl would be willing to help them.

[nab 74]

Nab - thats how I feel when they come bombing me and my country coz we do not believe in their god(who is supposed to be the best. What about me do they care coz of their stupidity I have to go thru TSA pat down and give up on my liberties.

First place if they would and their preachers would stop giving this ####### speach about their religion is best and their god is the ultimate, they will not have to go thru what they are going thru and other ppl would be willing to help them.

when there is a "them" mentality it's easy to see people collectively punished isnt it?

from your rant on "them" bombing "your" country it's obvious you're lumping terrorists (9/11) and muslims (palestine people are what we are talking about in this thread) all together.

and JFTR, southern baptists have "preachers"

[nab 74]

all they have to do is stop supporting terrorism against israel and the pain will go away.

this is such garbage and you know it if you've been following this at all.

an army as large as israel's (funded by the USA) cant defeat these people because they have right on their side. thats what you do, fight back when attacked, no matter how big the enemy.