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<font size=3 color="#191919">Pregnant women must get urgent access to
health care in Occupied Palestinian Territory<br>
Press Release, <i>UNFPA,</i> 30 August 2006<br>
<a href="http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article5632.shtml" eudora="autourl">
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article5632.shtml<br><br>
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Conflict has put undue pressure on Palestinian women and impacted their
right to health care and other rights: Palestinian refugees from Al-Shoka
village living at a temporary refugee camp in a United Nations school
near Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, 10 July 2006. Villagers of
Al-Shoka fled their houses after the Israeli army began their incursion
to the Gaza Strip nearly one week ago.
(<a href="http://www.maannews.net/en/">MaanImages</a>/Hatem
Omar)<br><br>
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, expresses its deep concern
about recent reports of delays at Israeli checkpoints of women in labour,
which have resulted in forced roadside births, and even death of some
women and infants. It urges that civilians with urgent needs should have
access to health facilities and that humanitarian organizations be
allowed to work freely to alleviate the suffering of the people,
especially women and children.<br><br>
More than 68 pregnant Palestinian women had to give birth at Israeli
checkpoints during the last six years, leading to 34 miscarriages and the
death of four women, according to the Palestinian Ministry of
Health.<br><br>
A recent report by the Ministry shows that since the beginning of the
Al-Aqsa Intifada in September 2000, pregnant Palestinian women in labour
are often prevented by Israeli forces from reaching hospitals to receive
appropriate medical attention. As a result, 10 per cent of women who
wished to give birth at medical centres have had to spend two to four
hours on the road before reaching a hospital, while 6 per cent spent more
than four hours. The normal time, before the Intifada, was 15-30
minutes.<br><br>
"These figures underline the need to put an end, once and for all,
to the agony of pregnant Palestinian women held at Israeli
checkpoints." said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA.
"It is urgent to facilitate access by pregnant women to life-saving
services, as stipulated by international humanitarian law."<br><br>
According to the Ministry's report, there are currently 117,600 pregnant
women in the Palestinian territory, including 17,640 who suffer from
difficult pregnancies due to the lack of prenatal and postnatal care.
Inadequate medical care during pregnancy, says the report, is the third
leading cause of death among Palestinian women of childbearing
age.<br><br>
UNFPA has been helping pregnant women avoid suffering at the checkpoints
by training health personnel and equipping them with delivery kits to
provide services within their communities. It has also formed local
community support teams to assist health providers and raise awareness of
the availability of delivery services.<br><br>
The latest Israeli military incursions into the Gaza Strip, which started
on 28 June, have compounded the suffering of the Palestinian population
in general, and women and young people in particular. Damage to the Gaza
infrastructure, including health, communication and transport facilities,
and power sources, has been extensive. Facilities and services, including
those of health, have not been able to function properly, and the Strip's
1.4 million inhabitants have been left without electricity.<br><br>
UNFPA continues to work with its partners on providing the Gaza
population with essential emergency services and supplies. That includes
restoring health facilities, purchasing reproductive health supplies and
other essential drugs to support the Ministry of Health, and providing
psychological and clinical services to women and their families.
<br><br>
</font><font size=3>Rafah Crossing: Urgent Letter to the EU <br>
Download:
<a href="http://www.mezan.org/site_en/resource_center/mezan_publications//document/RafahCrossing_Urgent_Letter_EU_en.pdf">
(RafahCrossing_Urgent_Letter_EU_en.pdf)</a> <br><br>
30 August 2006 <br><br>
</font><font size=4><b>Dear distinguished representatives of the
governments of the European Union, <br><br>
</b></font><font size=3>As a specialized human rights organization
located in the Gaza Strip, we write to express our deep concern over the
situation of Rafah Terminal on the Gaza Strip- Egypt border. On 15
November 2005, an agreement was reached comprising two documents which
reflected commitments on behalf of the Government of Israel (GoI) and the
Palestinian National Authority (PNA), with regards to issues of movement
and access, as well as principles for the working of Rafah Terminal
(hereinafter: "the agreement"). The aim of this agreement was
to facilitate the movement of people and goods within the Palestinian
territories and "to promote peaceful economic development and
improve the humanitarian situation on the ground". <br><br>
The GoI has ignored its duties in this regard, however, which has led to
serious humanitarian and economic consequences. We assert that Israel's
authority over Rafah and Karni borders is just one example of the ways in
which Israel continues to exercise effective control over Gaza. The use
of this control as a tool for inflicting collective punishment against
the Palestinians living in Gaza is contrary to international law and
should not be endorsed by the European Union. Under no circumstances must
the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, such as freedom of
movement, be used as a bargaining chip to negotiate a process that comes
at the cost of these rights. Such a process should be based firmly on
dignity and the principles of human rights and international law.
<br><br>
In the absence of an alternative functioning passenger crossing, Rafah
crossing now constitutes the only link for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip
with the outside world. Many facets of Palestinian life depend on the
functioning of this crossing. It is the only operational point for access
to healthcare, education and employment opportunities, all of which are
vital for the development of Gaza's economy and the well- being of its
population. According to the agreement, both Rafah and Karni economic
crossing would "operate continuously". In reality however,
Karni was fully or partially closed for 199 days, or 77% of the period
between 15 November 2005 and 31 July 2006, while Rafah was fully or
partially closed for 98% of the time during the same period. <br><br>
Under the 1995 Interim Agreement, the West Bank and Gaza Strip legally
constitute one territorial unit, and thus Israel should not restrict the
flow of passengers or goods between the two areas. Effectively, the
agreement states that bus and truck convoys should have been in effect
from December 2005 and January 2006. Thus far, no buses have left Gaza,
and the truck convoys leaving the Gaza Strip reached an average of only
19 trucks daily during the first three months of 2006, well below the
required 150. The agreement committed the GoI to permitting the export of
agricultural goods from Gaza and facilitating their speedy exit from Gaza
in the interests of freshness. No exports have as yet been allowed
through Rafah, and Karni has been closed for long periods at a time.
Gazan farmers have suffered deeply and have had to destroy their own
sources of livelihood due to the lack of possibilities to export fresh
produce. Whereas Gaza's seaport represents another important potential
source of economic development, the port also remains inactive despite a
guarantee under the Agreement that construction of the port would begin
immediately without Israeli interference. <br><br>
The closures of Rafah and Karni have severely affected economic activity,
contributing to rising unemployment and poverty rates in Gaza, which now
stand at 40% and 78% respectively according to OCHA. The closures also
severely curtail enjoyment of the Palestinians' right to freedom of
movement as well as fundamental economic, social and cultural rights and
rights of the child enshrined in the ICESCR and CRC. The right to life is
a non-derogable right under the UDHR, however the prevention of patients
from accessing adequate healthcare through Israel’s prolonged closure of
crossings constitutes a serious threat to their lives. During the months
of July and August 2006, five people died at Rafah crossing whilst
waiting in extreme circumstances for the border to open. Israel's ongoing
abuse of its control of Gaza's borders and coastline under the pretext of
security constitutes collective punishment against the population of
Gaza, which is forbidden under article 33 of the Fourth Geneva
Convention. Further, article 35 states that protected persons in an
occupied territory must be allowed to leave the territory should they
need or desire to. <br><br>
Whereas the November 2005 Rafah agreement aimed to improve the
humanitarian situation in Gaza, the humanitarian and economic conditions
have in fact worsened and movement restrictions for Palestinians in the
territories have tightened. In light of the upcoming review process of
the agreement, we stress that the immediate and permanent reopening of
Rafah and Karni terminals must constitute a first step towards ending
ongoing human rights violations and such methods of collective
punishment. Furthermore, the agreement should be seriously reconsidered
and ways sought to bring Israel’s illegal control over Gaza's borders,
airspace and coastline to a full and permanent end. As distinguished
representatives of the European Union, effectively the third party in
this agreement, and as representatives of High contracting Parties to the
Fourth Geneva Convention, we call upon you in your consideration of the
reviewing process for the Rafah agreement to:
<ul>
<li>Launch an investigation into violations of basic standards of human
rights caused by Israel’s ongoing control of Gaza’s borders;
<li>Demand the immediate and permanent opening of Rafah and Karni
Crossings;
<li>Take actions to ensure that control of the Rafah crossing remains
solely under the responsibility of the PNA;
<li>Ensure that you fulfill your obligations under common article 1 of
the Fourth Geneva Convention to respect, and ensure Israel’s respect for
the Convention and end measures of collective punishment as well as
violations of international human rights treaties.
</ul><br>
Sincerely, <br><br>
Issam Younis <br>
Director <br>
Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights <br>
Gaza Strip <br>
Download:
<a href="http://www.mezan.org/site_en/resource_center/mezan_publications//document/RafahCrossing_Urgent_Letter_EU_en.pdf">
(RafahCrossing_Urgent_Letter_EU_en.pdf)</a> <br><br>
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