Six months after Israel partially lifted its infamous blockade, Gaza continues to suffer. According to the aid agencies and human rights groups working inside the Palestinian territories, the people of Gaza continue to face severe economic hardships.
The recent easing of the economic blockade that has been in place since 2007 has hardly helped. This continues to exert a ‘crippling’ influence on the economy of the area. Deprived of food items and basic necessities of daily life, not to forget construction material desperately needed for reconstruction, education material for schools and medicines, the Gazans are paying a heavy price. Their crime; having supported the militant Palestinian group, Hamas
While solving the impossibly tangled mess of Israel’s relations with Palestinian groups may be best left alone at present, it is high time that concrete action was taken to end the inhumane treatment of the people of Gaza at the hands of Israel.
International pressure on Israel to lift the blockade has only resulted in the minimal relaxation of the siege. The Israelis in fact, insist on the necessity of the blockade for security reasons. Maybe this is why even the construction material originally agreed to be released for the UN reconstruction projects is only trickling in. So far only seven per cent of that has been allowed by Israel inside Gaza.
The Israeli government has of course castigated the recent report compiled by 21 different organisations and called it ‘distorted’ and ‘misleading’.
Moreover, the almost complete ban on exports has created an economic crisis for the people who since many years are literally struggling to survive. Israel’s policy is clearly aimed at exacting a toll from civilians. By doing so, it hopes to achieve a retraction in civilian support for Hamas, little realising or failing to recognise that this is only perpetuating further hatred. If it hopes to achieve peace and acceptance in the region, this is hardly the way to go about it.
Stranger still is the international community’s attitude towards the most blatant violation of international law. The major world powers may step up pressure when the issue is hot in the press but then conveniently forget about it till the next episode. In the meanwhile the Palestinians continue to suffer for no crime other than existing. Isn’t it time the regional states use their considerable economic and political clout and insist on an immediate redressing of the situation?
Source: Khaleej Times