11 mar 2020
The Israeli occupation army announced on Tuesday that the Allenby (Karama) border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan would be shut to passengers in both directions until further notice because of the growing spread of coronavirus in the Middle East.
The announcement came one day after Palestinian Authority (PA) premier Mohammad Shtayyeh suggested that the Palestinians may be compelled to ask Israel to close down Allenby.
However, the Israeli army’s coordinator of government activities in the occupied territories stated that “local residents,” in reference to Palestinians from the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem who are currently in Jordan, would be permitted to return to their homes if they coordinate with the competent authorities.
The coordinator also said that Jordanians in Palestinian areas would be allowed to go back to Jordan if they make arrangements with the competent authorities.
As for movement of goods between Jordan and the occupied Palestinian territories, all commercial crossings will remain open, according to the coordinator.
In order to travel beyond the West Bank and Israel, an overwhelming majority of Palestinians in the West Bank have to cross through Allenby. Thousands of Palestinians usually pass through it daily, but data from the PA general administration of crossings and borders has shown that numbers have recently declined.
29 people in the West Bank, mostly in Bethlehem, have now been diagnosed with the virus.
Shortly after Palestinian health authorities confirmed the first cases of coronavirus in the West Bank last Thursday, PA President Mahmoud Abbas declared a state of emergency for 30 days.
Premier Shtayyeh has since announced the closure of schools and universities, the cancellation of all hotel reservations and conferences, the shuttering of tourist and religious sites, the banning of public gatherings and rallies, and other measures.
The announcement came one day after Palestinian Authority (PA) premier Mohammad Shtayyeh suggested that the Palestinians may be compelled to ask Israel to close down Allenby.
However, the Israeli army’s coordinator of government activities in the occupied territories stated that “local residents,” in reference to Palestinians from the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem who are currently in Jordan, would be permitted to return to their homes if they coordinate with the competent authorities.
The coordinator also said that Jordanians in Palestinian areas would be allowed to go back to Jordan if they make arrangements with the competent authorities.
As for movement of goods between Jordan and the occupied Palestinian territories, all commercial crossings will remain open, according to the coordinator.
In order to travel beyond the West Bank and Israel, an overwhelming majority of Palestinians in the West Bank have to cross through Allenby. Thousands of Palestinians usually pass through it daily, but data from the PA general administration of crossings and borders has shown that numbers have recently declined.
29 people in the West Bank, mostly in Bethlehem, have now been diagnosed with the virus.
Shortly after Palestinian health authorities confirmed the first cases of coronavirus in the West Bank last Thursday, PA President Mahmoud Abbas declared a state of emergency for 30 days.
Premier Shtayyeh has since announced the closure of schools and universities, the cancellation of all hotel reservations and conferences, the shuttering of tourist and religious sites, the banning of public gatherings and rallies, and other measures.
10 mar 2020
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Rakan Abed El Rahman for Middle East Eye
Experts say Israeli policies and wars are to blame for a deepening water crisis in Gaza that will have detrimental effects on public health, especially on the most vulnerable segment of society: children. [Transcript by Ali Salam] Ahmed Hills – Water and Environmental Expert “96% of Gaza’s residents rely on groundwater for their daily needs, including drinking water. More than 35% – 40% of the Gaza Strip’s sewage is not connected to a sewage system because of the Israeli blockade and the Palestinian political division. |
So, Gaza’s groundwater is exposed to pollution. Only 2% of Gaza’s groundwater is drinkable, and that does not cover people’s needs.
The valleys of the Gaza Strip are dry in general. Huge dams were built on its upstreams with a calculated capacity to block as much rainfall as possible, which would fall on all of Palestine and flow into the Gaza Strip. The Israeli occupation built the dams and rebuilt reservoirs next to them, filling up the reservoirs with the water it blocks.”
Khalid Al-Tibi – Director of Gaza’s Environmental Health Department
“The segment of society most affected by polluted water are children and the elderly. Polluted water can cause serious health problems, especially diarrhea, typhoid or paratyphoid, which is caused by salmonella microbes. All these diseases can develop in children when they drink polluted water.”
Monther Shublaq – Director of Coastal Municipalities Water Utility
“To improve the water situation in the Gaza Strip, step-by-step solutions must be found, such as small desalination plants, rainwater collection, wastewater treatment, seawater desalination and infrastructure like reservoirs and pipelines. Pollution form sewage has environmental, health and social effects. It also causes further degradation of the groundwater.
The most significant challenges that led to our water disasters have been the three Israeli wars on the Gaza Strip. The wars continuously destroyed all the reservoirs, wells and pipelines. Israel is not subject to any reliable system. Some projects have been delayed for four or five years. There was talk of bringing heavy equipment for the water authorities, such as drills, in order to maintain the pipeline, wells and networks.
This equipment was bought in 2015, so it’s been five years and this equipment is still at a storage unit in the West Bank.”
Ahmed Al-Hor – Water Vendor
“The percentage of people who can’t afford to buy water is between 80% to 90%. The situation is difficult. Sometimes, I know a customer does not have drinkable water, and I ask him if he wants to buy it, but he replies ‘no,’ because he doesn’t have money.”
Walid Badwan – Gaza Resident
“I fill my gallon containers with water from this street tap because I cannot afford to buy water at all. Water is essential for my home, but I cannot buy it. I walk long distances to get drinkable water. This is, of course, a burden on me and my children. Usually the tap water is cut off for half of the day. And when tap water is available, it is not good for drinking.”
Mohamed Abo Al-Kher – Gaza Resident
“Tap water causes diseases like kidney stones. Every month, when I have enough money, like 5 shekels ($1.50), I buy water. Sometimes I have to borrow money.”
Khalid Al-Tibi – Director of Gaza’s Environmental Health Department
“Private desalination plants remove salt and harmful chemicals from polluted water. Then the water is sterilised and sold to citizens for drinking. But this is a temporary solution, not a strategic one until we get our water rights from the Israeli occupation.”
Ahmed Hills – Water and Environmental Expert
“When water is drawn from wells or taken from desalination stations, it is exposed to different types of bacteria, viruses and parasites, especially during the distribution process.”
Khalid Al-Tibi – Director of Gaza’s Environmental Health Department
“Water [from private desalination plants] doesn’t meet the required health standards for human consumption. Calcium deficiencies lead to osteoporosis and lack of fluoride leads to tooth decay.”
Produced and Translated by Rakan Abed El Rahman
The valleys of the Gaza Strip are dry in general. Huge dams were built on its upstreams with a calculated capacity to block as much rainfall as possible, which would fall on all of Palestine and flow into the Gaza Strip. The Israeli occupation built the dams and rebuilt reservoirs next to them, filling up the reservoirs with the water it blocks.”
Khalid Al-Tibi – Director of Gaza’s Environmental Health Department
“The segment of society most affected by polluted water are children and the elderly. Polluted water can cause serious health problems, especially diarrhea, typhoid or paratyphoid, which is caused by salmonella microbes. All these diseases can develop in children when they drink polluted water.”
Monther Shublaq – Director of Coastal Municipalities Water Utility
“To improve the water situation in the Gaza Strip, step-by-step solutions must be found, such as small desalination plants, rainwater collection, wastewater treatment, seawater desalination and infrastructure like reservoirs and pipelines. Pollution form sewage has environmental, health and social effects. It also causes further degradation of the groundwater.
The most significant challenges that led to our water disasters have been the three Israeli wars on the Gaza Strip. The wars continuously destroyed all the reservoirs, wells and pipelines. Israel is not subject to any reliable system. Some projects have been delayed for four or five years. There was talk of bringing heavy equipment for the water authorities, such as drills, in order to maintain the pipeline, wells and networks.
This equipment was bought in 2015, so it’s been five years and this equipment is still at a storage unit in the West Bank.”
Ahmed Al-Hor – Water Vendor
“The percentage of people who can’t afford to buy water is between 80% to 90%. The situation is difficult. Sometimes, I know a customer does not have drinkable water, and I ask him if he wants to buy it, but he replies ‘no,’ because he doesn’t have money.”
Walid Badwan – Gaza Resident
“I fill my gallon containers with water from this street tap because I cannot afford to buy water at all. Water is essential for my home, but I cannot buy it. I walk long distances to get drinkable water. This is, of course, a burden on me and my children. Usually the tap water is cut off for half of the day. And when tap water is available, it is not good for drinking.”
Mohamed Abo Al-Kher – Gaza Resident
“Tap water causes diseases like kidney stones. Every month, when I have enough money, like 5 shekels ($1.50), I buy water. Sometimes I have to borrow money.”
Khalid Al-Tibi – Director of Gaza’s Environmental Health Department
“Private desalination plants remove salt and harmful chemicals from polluted water. Then the water is sterilised and sold to citizens for drinking. But this is a temporary solution, not a strategic one until we get our water rights from the Israeli occupation.”
Ahmed Hills – Water and Environmental Expert
“When water is drawn from wells or taken from desalination stations, it is exposed to different types of bacteria, viruses and parasites, especially during the distribution process.”
Khalid Al-Tibi – Director of Gaza’s Environmental Health Department
“Water [from private desalination plants] doesn’t meet the required health standards for human consumption. Calcium deficiencies lead to osteoporosis and lack of fluoride leads to tooth decay.”
Produced and Translated by Rakan Abed El Rahman
7 mar 2020
Israeli occupation authorities announced on Friday a complete closure on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank for the Jewish holiday of Purim.
An Israeli army spokesperson said that the decision was taken "after evaluating the security situation", adding that the restrictions would be in place from Saturday night and would be lifted on Wednesday night.
During such closure, Palestinians are prevented from working in the 1948 occupied territories or accessing medical treatment there unless they obtain special entry permits from Israeli authorities.
An Israeli army spokesperson said that the decision was taken "after evaluating the security situation", adding that the restrictions would be in place from Saturday night and would be lifted on Wednesday night.
During such closure, Palestinians are prevented from working in the 1948 occupied territories or accessing medical treatment there unless they obtain special entry permits from Israeli authorities.
6 mar 2020
Israeli authorities have been reportedly detained six Palestinians from Gaza since early 2020. Those arrested are said to be travelers, who were passing through the Israel-controlled Erez checkpoint, north of the Gaza Strip.
According to a statement, released on Friday by the Ramallah-based Palestine Center for Detainee Studies, the sixth Gaza traveler is a trader, who was held in custody by Israeli authorities, after he passed into Israel earlier on Friday.
The statement read that the trader is called Ammar Jundiya, 38, and resident of the Shija’iya neighborhood, east of Gaza city.
Jundiya was crossing through Erez, en-route to the Palestinian West Bank, when Israeli security personnel detained him, the statement noted.
Between January and February of this year, Israeli security personnel have arrested three other Gaza-based traders, while they were en-route to Jordan, via the same Erez crossing. Two other residents from southern Gaza were detained when they applied for permits for movement, right at the crossing itself.
The Palestine Center for Detainee Studies said that Israeli authorities use the crossings, under Israel’s control, as a means to extort Gaza residents by trying to coerce them to act as collaborators and informants for the Israeli military, in return for meeting their various needs, such as movement, working, trading or even medication.
Over the past 13 years of a crippling Israeli blockade on Gaza, Israel has imposed widespread restrictions on movement of Palestinian Gaza-based residents and goods, under alleged security reasons.
The Erez crossing is considered to be a main outlet for the residents of Gaza, in and out of the coastal enclave.
According to international law, Israel remains an occupying power that should be responsible for the welfare of the occupied Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, according to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel
According to a statement, released on Friday by the Ramallah-based Palestine Center for Detainee Studies, the sixth Gaza traveler is a trader, who was held in custody by Israeli authorities, after he passed into Israel earlier on Friday.
The statement read that the trader is called Ammar Jundiya, 38, and resident of the Shija’iya neighborhood, east of Gaza city.
Jundiya was crossing through Erez, en-route to the Palestinian West Bank, when Israeli security personnel detained him, the statement noted.
Between January and February of this year, Israeli security personnel have arrested three other Gaza-based traders, while they were en-route to Jordan, via the same Erez crossing. Two other residents from southern Gaza were detained when they applied for permits for movement, right at the crossing itself.
The Palestine Center for Detainee Studies said that Israeli authorities use the crossings, under Israel’s control, as a means to extort Gaza residents by trying to coerce them to act as collaborators and informants for the Israeli military, in return for meeting their various needs, such as movement, working, trading or even medication.
Over the past 13 years of a crippling Israeli blockade on Gaza, Israel has imposed widespread restrictions on movement of Palestinian Gaza-based residents and goods, under alleged security reasons.
The Erez crossing is considered to be a main outlet for the residents of Gaza, in and out of the coastal enclave.
According to international law, Israel remains an occupying power that should be responsible for the welfare of the occupied Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, according to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel
