MID-EAST REALITIES © - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 5/25:The "Gaza Strip" is a huge ghetto; created of course by the Israelis. In a sense it is also the largest prison in the world as the great majority of those who reside in Gaza are unable to leave and return through any of the handful of Israeli army checkposts which control who comes and goes. This recent report from a group of non-governmental organizations:

Gaza Strip, May 9, 2001 - Members of the Coordinating Committee ofInternational Non-Government Organizations (CCINGO) are alarmed by theextent of the critical economic decline and destruction of infrastructurewitnessed on a recent visit to the Gaza Strip.

During the visit over 40 members of our international staff joined byinternational and local media representatives were briefed by thePalestinian NGO Network on the rapid deterioration of the humanitariansituation in the Gaza Strip. Our site visit to the Khan Younis refugee campconfirmed our mounting concern over the increasing levels of poverty and theextent of human rights violations suffered by the Palestinian population.

CCINGO members interacted with families who are now living in tents andabandoned buildings, whose homes were destroyed by the Israeli armyshelling. One refugee women, Maha Abu Nahhas explained:

"My family are now made refugees for the second time. We were forced out ofJaffa in 1948. Three weeks ago our house was demolished by the Israelitanks. We took refuge in these empty buildings with no water orelectricity. My husband is unemployed, my 6 children are too young to workand we are surviving because of food coupons that are occasionallydistributed to us."

We also witnessed destroyed agricultural land, blocked public roads, localPalestinians forced to abandon their cars or public transport to traversecheckpoints, large numbers of idle young men and women, and poor childrenwho expressed their fear of the armored tanks across the hills.

CCINGO confirms that current Israeli policies on closures, segmentation andcollective punishment are having a crippling impact on the livelihoods ofthe Palestinian population. As recent statistics on the West Bank and Gazaconfirm: 62.2% of Households live below the poverty line of $400 per monthfor a family of 6; 49.2% of households lost 50% of their income; 52%encountered serious obstacles to health services.

The international community is witness to a humanitarian crisis in Palestinethat has reversed development achievements gained over the past few years.CCINGO remains fully committed to undertaking their responsibility torespond to the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian population in the WestBank and Gaza Strip during this period of crisis. We therefore call on:

· The international community to join our efforts and to advocate for thelifting of Israeli policies that are in clear breach of InternationalHumanitarian Law; and,

· The media to represent the current crisis in an objective way that isreflective of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

* CCINGO is an ad hoc committee of major international humanitarian anddevelopment agencies working in Palestine.

Mid-East Realities

www.middleeast.org

Source: http://www.middleeast.org/articles/2001/5/221.htm