GENEVA, Jan 23 (KUNA) — A leading Geneva based international NGO working for housing rights said Wednesday Israeli and international sanctions on Gaza affects some 250,000 Palestinians and the restriction on fuel stands to affect 1.5 million people in the few coming days.
The Centre for Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) said sanctions and closures on Gaza left quarter of a million people without adequate water supply and the restrictions on fuel may leave 1.5 million people without water and sewage services in the coming days.
A COHRE report was released to coincide with a Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council to be held later today on human rights violations taking place in the occupied Palestinian territories including recent actions in Gaza and Nablus. It says the financial sanctions imposed on the Gaza administration have caused the near collapse of basic service provision in the water and waste-water sectors.
“A number of border crossings have been closed since June 2007, restricting the movement of people and goods into and out of the Gaza Strip. Last week, Israel closed all border crossings and blocked the entry of humanitarian aid except in exceptional circumstances.
“The blockade has prevented the entry of essential materials required to operate and maintain water and sewage services as well as the entry of chemicals and filters necessary for water purification, putting the people of Gaza’s health at risk,” says the report.
The report, “Hostage to Politics: The impact of sanctions and the blockade on the human right to water and sanitation in Gaza”, said COHRE Deputy Director Jean du Plessis shows that the sanctions and closure of Gaza’s border crossings have caused a humanitarian crisis which includes the widespread denial of economic, social, and cultural rights.
“The deliberate infliction of extreme levels of deprivation on civilians, constitute grave violations of fundamental human rights. We urge the Israeli government … as well as any other authorities complicit in creating the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza … to end without delay any acts infliccting blanket collective punishment on civilians, and to provide adequate remedy to any and all persons harmed,” added du Plessis.
Du Plessis further said that “COHRE recognises that the blockade and sanctions are motivated by threats to Israel’s security.
“However, these concerns do not justify the denial of economic, social, and cultural rights of the people of Gaza. The blockade, as well as the full range of economic and financial sanctions imposed on the Gaza administration, are causing great suffering and deprivation, and hinder the peace process,” said du Plessis.
According to the report, the Israeli restrictions on the amount of fuel entering the strip, in reprisal for rocket attacks on Israel by Palestinian militant groups, has also hindered operation of water wells, pumping stations, and sewage treatment facilities.
The waste-water treatment facilities in Beit Lahya (northern Gaza), Gaza City, and Khan Younis (southern Gaza) are at high risk of flooding due to their state of disrepair, a lack of spare parts for necessary maintenance, and disruptions to the supply of fuel and electricity required to operate the systems pumps.
Heavy winter rains could cause the waste-water reservoir in Beit Lahya to overflow sending 1.5 million cubic metres of sewage into surrounding districts, directly threatening the life and property of 50,000 people and potentially contaminating the water supply of up to 300,000 people, unleashing a humanitarian and environmental disaster of epic proportions.
— “COHRE’s research reveals that the actions of Israel constitute violations of international humanitarian law which prohibits punishment for an offence a person has not committed, collective penalties, and all measures of intimidation against protected persons, including civilians taking no part in hostilities,” du Plesses said.
“As an occupying power that controls Gaza’s borders, Israel is responsible for ensuring that the basic needs of the people of Gaza are met. Israel has failed to respect, protect, and fulfil the human rights of persons residing in the Gaza Strip, guaranteed by legally binding instruments it has ratified.
“Several other countries may also be complicit in human rights violations due to their imposition of sanctions and complicity with acts giving rise to extreme deprivation among civilians,” he added.
Due to the blockade preventing spare parts from entering Gaza and the fuel restrictions, some 250,000 people in Gaza have not received a sufficient and continuous supply of water to their homes since December 2007.
The Coastal Municipal Water Utility (CMWU), the water service provider in Gaza, is currently cutting the water supply for up to 18 hours per day, but this differs according to area.
Electricity in Gaza is, in part, internally generated through fuel-powered power plants.
Due to a lack of fuel, since January 5, the Gaza Power Generating Company has had to cut the power supply, leaving Gaza’s 1.5 million people with daily power cuts of up to eight hours reducing access to drinking water, especially for those who live in high rise buildings which require electricity to pump the water to higher levels.
On January 20, the Gaza power plant was shut down and Gaza City was plunged into darkness.
The CMWU announced that if fuel did not arrive by Tuesday, January 22, water and sewage systems serving 1.5 million people would cease to operate. This could cause a health crisis and the outbreak of water-borne disease.
Over 60 percent of Gaza’s electricity is provided directly by Israel.
A petition to stop the proposed electricity cuts, due to the disruptions they would cause to essential services, has been brought before the Israeli Supreme Court by ten Israeli and Palestinian human rights organisations, and a decision is still pending.
COHRE urges the government of Israel to immediately lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip and allow the free flow of essential goods and equipment into Gaza. It further calls on Israel to cease its policy of restricting fuel supplies to Gaza and withdraw proposals to limit electricity.
Further, COHRE calls on all states to lift banking restrictions imposed on the Gaza administration in order to permit the funding of necessary public services and calls on donor countries and agencies to immediately resume funding in the water and waste water sectors to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe from occurring.
The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit human rights organisation. COHRE is registered in the Netherlands, and coordinates its global activities from its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
COHRE is the leading international human rights organisation campaigning for the protection of housing rights and the prevention of forced evictions.
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