Israel will stop working with the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip, a government spokesperson said yesterday, accusing the aid agency of “perpetuating conflict”, Reuters reported....

Israel will stop working with the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip, a government spokesperson said yesterday, accusing the aid agency of “perpetuating conflict”, Reuters reported.

Israel has long sought to have UNRWA closed as it is the only UN agency to have a specific mandate to look after the basic needs of Palestinian refugees. If the agency no longer exists, argues Israel, then the refugee issue must no longer exist, and the legitimate right for Palestinian refugees to return to their land will be unnecessary. Israel has denied that right of return since the late 1940s, even though its own membership of the UN was made conditional upon Palestinian refugees being allowed to return to their homes and land.

  • Keeponstalin@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    6 months ago

    What are you talking about, Israel has controlled all imports and exports in Gaza and the West Bank since 1967.

    The 1994 Paris Protocol between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) entrenched the dependence of the Palestinian economy on Israel via a customs union that leaves no space for independent Palestinian economic policies, tying the OPT to the trade policies, tariff structure and value-added tax rate of Israel. Since 1999, Palestinian gross domestic product (GDP) in the OPT has effectively remained stagnant. The Palestinian economy suffers from numerous restrictions by Israel on trade that impact on the production of exports and importable goods. Almost all Palestinian imports and exports transit ports and crossing points controlled by Israel, where delays and security measures increase costs by an average of USD 538 per shipment, resulting in a significant and persistent trade deficit.

    In addition, Israel imposed a “dual use” policy in 2007 that restricts the entry of any goods it deems to potentially have military, as well as civilian, use, including chemicals and technology. The list of 117 liable items is vague, including categories such as “communications equipment, communication support equipment, or equipment with communication functions” that can include items that are found in everyday use, such as home appliances and medical equipment. This policy only applies to Palestinian importers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, not to their Israeli counterparts or even to Israeli settlers in the OPT. It has had a devastating impact on the economy in general, especially on the agriculture, information and communications technology (ICT) and manufacturing sectors, and has had catastrophic effects in the Gaza Strip in particular.

    Israel has let in only minimal food into Gaza leading in food insecurity for the majority of the population since before Oct 7th.

    https://www.un.org/unispal/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/OCHAGAZAAM_220223.pdf

    https://gisha.org/en/gaza-policy-forum-summary-experts-agree-that-israels-dual-use-policy-causes-acute-distress/

    • 【J】【u】【s】【t】【Z】@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      6 months ago

      More things I already knew.

      I’m sure you think Israel started dual use policy out of cruelty and malice, right? You sure it has nothing to do with Gaza choosing corruption and terrorism again and again?

      Hamas had two airports. Could have done some trading, had some commerce, and had all the food they could muster right now. That requires respect for other cultures. I’m sure you’d overnight some, right now if they still had an airport. Hamas closed one after starting a war and swearing to murder all of the Jews, and then Hamas abandoned the other one and let it go to shit until it was unusable and people built over it.

      They had a water port, until they elected Hamas to power (I guess the election slogan was “more suicide bombings of Jews!” or something to thet extent (and upon taking office they promptly cancelled all future elections because they knew how best to focus Gaza’s resources on building out the tunnel system and expanding the number of rockets they could launch at the Jews)).

      Yes, Gaza has rightfully been under a blockade pending the demise of Hamas. Instead of rejecting Hamas, Gaza has further empowered and entrenched them. Apparently the people of Gaza will pay any price for the Hamas-run theocratic dictatorship they believe their God has ordained for them (once they genocide all the Jews (you just go on ahead ignoring that little detail before you start sending aid (aid is only conditional when it gets sent to Jews according to your ruleset))).