World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". Israeli occupation policies and practices imposed on 3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip, during the past months of Palestinian Intifada have disastrously affected every single aspect of Palestinian life including health care sector. Israeli aggression and the use of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians have left hundreds of Palestinians killed, thousands injured and disabled, hundreds of houses demolished, vast areas of agricultural land bulldozed, agricultural greenhouses destroyed, and tens of thousands of trees uprooted. Palestinians still live under internal siege, isolating Palestinian communities from each other and preventing people from receiving food, medical care and other basic needs. As a result, unemployment and poverty rates are increasing dramatically in the Palestinian areas. Additionally, the closing of outside borders have cut Palestinians off from the rest of the world.

Israeli actions do violate a multitude of international resolutions and conventions, including United Nations resolutions 242 and 338, the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Hague Regulations, the United Nations Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, the International Covenant of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child among others.

According to Palestinian Ministry of Health sources, more than 14,000 injured Palestinians were treated at health facilities only during the first six months of the Intifada. It is estimated that 1,500 injured Palestinians will suffer from some form of permanent disability. The Ministry of Health estimated that 437 Palestinian children were disabled because of injuries sustained during the Intifada. Additionally, the majority of injured Palestinians treated outside the country will need rehabilitation services upon their return HOME. Disabled individuals will require long-term treatment and rehabilitation services. Disabilities range from the loss of an eye or limb to complete paralysis. This huge number of disabilities will overburden the developing Palestinian health system, including the Palestinian Ministry of Health and other non-governmental health organizations working in the area.

Althoiugh International humanitarian law entitles medical teams special protection and freedom of action while on duty, Israeli occupation forces have repeatedly and gravely violated these laws during the intifada. Hospitals Article 18 of the forth Geneva Convention states that “Civilian hospitals organized to give care to the wounded and sick, the infirm and maternity cases, may in no circumstances be the object of attacks, but shall at all times be respected and protected by the Parties to the conflict.”

World Health Organization (WHO) indicated in a WHO release on December 12^th that Israeli violence and closures during the Intifada undermine the Palestinian health system, especially referral and surveillance capabilities, and cause deterioration of water, electricity, and sanitation services. The various movement restrictions imposed on Palestinians have severely influenced the activities of health care organizations. Medical personnel, including physicians and nurses, have been unable to reach their places of work regularly. Unattendance rate was reported at 35%-40% in some cases. Difficulties were also reported in distributing medical supplies to field clinics by Red Cross and Crescent and by mobile medical teams visiting rural areas.

Palestinian pharmaceutical companies are facing problems in the production and marketing of pharmaceutical products. Their problems stem from Israeli policies of closures, which prohibit workers from getting to their place of work, and hinder the distribution of products to different areas. Israeli authorities have also blocked the entry of raw materials needed by the pharmaceutical industry in Palestinian areas. Additionally, many Palestinians cannot afford paying for the medicines they need. As a result, Palestinian pharmaceutical company sales during the Intifada have dropped by 40%, and currently companies function at 25% of their full productive capacity, as compared to 35% before the Intifada.

The continued closure of Palestinian border areas to the outside world and the closure of the Palestinian international airport by Israeli authorities have hindered and prevented the delivery of emergency aid supplies meant for Palestinians. Fifteen ambulances and 5 trucks of humanitarian aid were denied entry at the Rafah border for about a month. In some cases, the closures have deprived injured Palestinians from receiving treatment abroad or prevented some of those who received treatment abroad from returning back to the Gaza Strip. AFP reported several of such occurrences during the past 4 months. Examples include:

In order to prevent more atrocities against them, Palestinians urgently need international protection with a concurrent end to Israeli occupation. Israel should realize that the most secure way for the realization of security is through ‘ security through peace for all’’ solution on the bases of UN resolutions pertaining to the region stumbling issues.

BY

Mohammad Abdo Al-Ibrahim

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