WEST BANK: NO RESPITE FROM HARDSHIP FOR PALESTINIANS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- Israeli restrictions, including measures
ostensibly designed to protect settlements, continue to have a severe impact on
the lives of many Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said.

While the economy has shown signs of growth and certain restrictions on the
movement of Palestinians have been lifted, living a normal life is close to
impossible for many people in the West Bank, it said in a news release made
available here.

The ICRC’s head of operations for the Middle East and North Africa Beatrice
Megevand-Roggo said that the ICRC has repeatedly called for action to be taken
to allow Palestinians to live their lives in dignity.

"We reiterate our call on Israel to do more to protect Palestinians in the
West Bank against settler violence, to safeguard their land and crops, to allow
families to repair their houses and to ensure that all Palestinians can get to
hospital or to school without delay," she said.

The ICRC, which is headquartered in Geneva and has a Regional Delegation
office here, said that for decades, restrictions linked to the settlements,
which are illegal under international humanitarian law, have resulted in
Palestinian farmers losing land and income.



Despite recent improvements in the economic situation, an estimated 50 per
cent of the West Bank population lives in poverty. Particularly hard hit are
Palestinians living in areas under full Israeli civil and military control
(referred to as Area C) which represent over 50 percent of the land, it said.

The ICRC said checkpoints, roadblocks and earth mounds as well as the
routing of the West Bank barrier present everyday obstacles for many
Palestinians, pointing out that some of them are often unable to reach a
hospital or visit their relatives.

"Israel must find the right balance between meeting its legitimate security
needs and safeguarding the basic rights of the Palestinian population,"
Megevand-Roggo said.

The organisation said that under international humanitarian law, as the
occupying power, Israel has an obligation to treat the civilian population
humanely at all times and it must allow the West Bank's economy to grow, and
ensure that Palestinians have sufficient access to water and health care.

The ICRC stressed that Israel must not requisition, destroy or damage
property belonging to civilians unless absolutely required by military
necessity.


The organisation, which has worked in most of the major crises of the past
140 years, is an impartial, neutral and independent organisation whose
exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims
of war and internal violence and provide them assistance.

It also endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening
humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.

-- BERNAMA