Humanitarian situation in Palestinian territories keeps deteriorating: UN report

A UN report published on Monday revealed that the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories continues deteriorating due to economy collapsing.

Published by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees, the report indicates that the international embargo imposed on the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has harshly affected its ability to offer basic services.

In addition, the report said that Israel's withholding of tax revenues destined for the Palestinian territories had also contributed to the weakening of the PNA's ability in offering basic services.

Many Palestinians fell further into poverty. The Gaza Strip was the hardest hit with about 80 percent of households earning less than one U.S. dollar a day, twice the percentage of those earning that little in the West Bank, said the report.

Meanwhile, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel said this week in Tel Aviv that Europe would continue to bypass the PNA and would not give the Palestinian government direct aid. "There will not be a change in the system," he said.

Following Hamas' victory in January 2006 legislative elections and the Hamas-led government came into power, the PNA has faced an international embargo after Hamas refused to recognize Israel or renounce violence.

The boycott includes a freeze on aid money to the PNA, which has cut its budget by about 35 percent, according to the report, and has made paying employees a difficult task.

In a bid to help lift the embargo, a new Palestinian national unity government grouping Hamas and Fatah took office in mid March.

However, more than 40 days have passed since the new coalition came into power, the siege on the Palestinians is still here in spite of the Palestinians' high expectation.

This situation had led to prolonged public sector strikes and a breakdown of services, said the UN report.

The report also said that unemployment rate remained high, as about 40 percent of adults being without work.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian GDP dropped by more than 40 percent since the renewed outbreak of Intifada (uprising) in September 2000, said the report.

Filippo Grandi, UNRWA's deputy commissioner-general, said recently that he expects to receive less than half of the 250 million dollars his organization has asked for in its 2007 emergency appeal for the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

However, many senior aid workers said that a political solution is needed to solve the current fiscal crisis in the Palestinian territories and that humanitarian aid can only help in the short- term.

Source: Xinhua