[News] Gaza - 95% of factories are closed, 93% of water is polluted

[Anti-Imperialist News]

B'tselem: Gaza, 95% of factories are closed, 93% of water is polluted

By 
<http://palestinethinktank.com/author/Haitham/>Haitham 
Sabbah • Jun 14th, 2010 at 16:22 •
http://palestinethinktank.com/2010/06/14/btselem-gaza-95-of-factories-are-closed-93-of-water-is-polluted/


Most of Gaza's factories have closed and its 
water is polluted as a result of Israel's siege 
policy, according to a new report being 
<http://www.btselem.org/English/Press_Releases/20100614.asp>released 
today by the Israeli Human Rights group – B'tselem.

The siege policy has "led to economic collapse in 
Gaza," B'tselem noted in a 
<http://www.btselem.org/Download/2009_Annual_Report_Eng.pdf>44-page 
report (PDF) that looked at Gaza, the West Bank 
and east Jerusalem during the period from January 
2009 to the end of April 2010.

Following is a summery of this report:
    * The prohibition on bringing in raw 
materials and exports into Gaza, which has been 
in place since Hamas's takeover of the Strip in 
June 2007, forced 95 percent of the factories and 
workshops in the area to close.
    * Before 2007, 4,000 types of goods were let 
into Gaza, compared with less than 150 that come 
in now. Among the restricted items are building 
materials such as iron and cement, which are 
needed to rebuild the 3,500 homes destroyed 
during last Israeli assault on Gaza – Operation Cast Lead.
    * The quantity of goods that comes through 
the crossings is less than one-quarter of what entered prior to the siege.
    * Before 2007, 70 trucks laden with export 
goods such as furniture, clothing and produce 
left Gaza daily for Israel. Now, only the export 
of strawberries and flowers to Europe is allowed 
in "certain instances". Goods are coming into 
Gaza through a system of tunnels set up under the 
border with Egypt, although the system is not enough to revive Gaza's economy.
    * Electricity is a problem in Gaza. 98% of 
the residents suffer from blackouts ranging from 
eight to ten hours a day, while the remaining 2% 
do not receive any electricity at all.
    * The power outages due to lack of fuel and 
spare parts have prevented the proper operation 
of wells and desalination plants.
    * At the end of 2009, studies showed that 93% 
percent of the Gaza Strip's water was polluted, 
with high quantities of chloride and nitrates.
    * "The water supply is defective and 
thousands of residents are not even connected to 
the water grid. Waste treatment has also been 
affected. Every day, some 100,000 cubic meters of 
untreated or partially untreated waste-water flow into the sea."
    * A lack of pesticides and spare parts for 
irrigation systems makes it hard for farmers. 
Those with land near the border with Israel can 
no longer farm because access is forbidden or 
restricted, and those who violate these orders risk being shot.
    * Fisherman cannot go out farther than three 
nautical miles, which limits the Strip's fish supply.
    * The number of Palestinian fatalities at the 
hands of the IOF dropped from 456 in 2008 to 83 
from January 21, 2009, through the end of April 
2010. These numbers do not include Palestinian 
deaths that occurred during Operation Cast Lead.
    * The report noted that Israel demolitions 
had continued in Area C of the West Bank, where 
from January 2009 to the end of April 2010, the 
occupation forces had destroyed 44 residential 
structures. The demolitions left 317 Palestinians homeless.
    * In 2009, the Jerusalem Municipality 
demolished 48 buildings in east Jerusalem. The 
demolitions left 247 Palestinians homeless.
    * The report notes that the IOF had not stop 
building settlements and no outposts been removed.
    * According to the report, very few IOF or 
police investigations into allegations of 
wrongdoing against Palestinians had actually lead 
to convictions. From the start of the second 
intifada in September 2000 to the end of April 
2010, B'tselem reported 255 cases of violence to 
the military advocate-general's office. Only 11 
indictments were filed, and one of those was canceled.
    * During that same period, B'tselem turned to 
the Justice Ministry's Police Investigation 
Department concerning 180 cases of violence, but 
only 12 indictments were filed.
    * Since September 2000, B'tselem has 
submitted 220 complaints to the Israel Police, 
demanding investigations of cases where Israelis 
harmed Palestinians or damaged their property. 
Only nine of these complaints resulted in indictments.

B'tselem executive director Jessica Montell said 
that the report was being released to mark "the 
43rd anniversary" of the end of the Six Day War, 
which marked "the beginning" of Israel's occupation.

"The ongoing occupation both violates" 
Palestinian rights and "poses clear dangers for 
Israel's democracy," Montell said. "For this 
reason we as Israelis must demand accountability 
for actions taken in our name in the occupied 
territories and work to change in policies that infringe human rights."




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