Isreal-Occupied Palestinian Territory: Gaza food supplies strangled by 1,000-day bloc

[DC]

GAZA BLOCKADE SUFFOCATING AGRICULTURE SECTOR,
CREATING FOOD INSECURITY

http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/gaza_agriculture_25_05_2010_press_release_english.pdf

what do you make of it? accurate information?

 

[Thunder]

actually, Gaza isn't really occupied. but it is blockaded.

...err...scratch that. Israel still controls the water and airspace. so yeah, its occupied.

 

[DC]

actually, Gaza isn't really occupied. but it is blockaded.

...err...scratch that. Israel still controls the water and airspace. so yeah, its occupied.

those arent words i use, i got them from the source.

 

[Beerina]

Oh no! It sounds like Israel is starving out the Palestinians the way Stalin did to the peasantry.

 

[bigjelmapro]

Oh, if only territorial waters and one's border is considered a function of government. Pfft.

Agricultural bit, I agree with. Fertilizer and piping for irrigation are two dual-purpose items which has been taken from the agricultural sector in Gaza for production of weapons.

Fishing industry also suffers since there's a restriction on the previous 1994 Jericho agreement which stipulates the distance fisherman can fish off the coast. Problem is, no PA enforcement of these waters since they were kicked out by Hamas. And weapons smuggling via Lebanon and Egypt to Gaza.

Until this is solved, as has been mentioned in the other threads, rather than the UN pointing out the issues but offering no solutions, then this will perpetuate.

Also, although its only a tidbit, it would've helped if Hamas didn't destroy the agricultural equipment left and donated by international philanthropists, mainly Jewish, with the 2005 pullout.

Solution, have the UN control a corridor from the Israel land crossings to the UN controlled warehouses in Gaza and distribute much needed equipment. However, this has to be more effective than what UNIFIL is utterly failing at in Lebanon.

 

[bigjelmapro]

And can you please attempt to spell Israel correctly please....

 

[Thunder]

Agricultural bit, I agree with. Fertilizer and piping for irrigation are two dual-purpose items which has been taken from the agricultural sector in Gaza for production of weapons.

only certain forms of fertilizer can be used for bombs. your standard NPK mixture is not suitable for making explosives. hence, is is NOT dual-use.

 

[DC]

And can you please attempt to spell Israel correctly please....

sorry didn't notice, i copy pasted it from here

http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?page=country&skip=0&coi=ISR&x=12&y=3

 

[Thunder]

Israel...is real.

 

[Segnosaur]

only certain forms of fertilizer can be used for bombs. your standard NPK mixture is not suitable for making explosives. hence, is is NOT dual-use.

The problem then becomes... if there is an attempt to bring fertilizer into the country, how can border guards tell if the shipment contains 'safe' brands, or is of a more dangerous mixture (I believe the more dangerous ones contain more ammonium nitrate.) After all, the border guards aren't chemists, and there is no guarantee that whatever 'container' that is being brought in contains the material specified on the label.

So, because it is impractical to expect border guards to be able to distinguish between different mixtures, its safer to just ban everything.

 

[Thunder]

So, because it is impractical to expect border guards to be able to distinguish between different mixtures, its safer to just ban everything.

why not apply this fascist logic to all canned goods?

all bottled goods?

all packaged goods?

that can of tuna might be plastic explosives..right?

that bottle of apple juice might be liquified VX gas...right?

that twinkee might really be dynamite...right?

pathetic, this embargo is.

 

[Segnosaur]

So, because it is impractical to expect border guards to be able to distinguish between different mixtures, its safer to just ban everything.

why not apply this fascist logic to all canned goods?

you know, whey you overuse the word 'fascist' and apply it in situations where it doesn't belong, you detract from its true meaning.

all bottled goods?

all packaged goods?

that can of tuna might be plastic explosives..right?

that bottle of apple juice might be liquified VX gas...right?

that twinkee might really be dynamite...right?

In all of those cases, ether:

A: It is easy (even for a layperson) to distinguish one from the other (can't think of any way that anyone that has even partial sight might confuse a twinkee for dynamite, and although I've never seen plastic explosives in real life, I rather suspect it looks nothing like tuna.) Probably not the case when trying to differentiate mixtures of fertilizer.

B: the product is sealed in such a way that it is difficult to tamper with (e.g. canned goods)

 

[WildCat]

Solution, have the UN control a corridor from the Israel land crossings to the UN controlled warehouses in Gaza and distribute much needed equipment. However, this has to be more effective than what UNIFIL is utterly failing at in Lebanon.

Unfortunately, Operation Cast Lead made it clear that many of the UN employees in Gaza were actually controlled by Hamas.

 

[DC]

"The blockade constitutes collective punishment under international law and must be lifted immediately."

As the occupying power, Israel has a duty under international law to ensure the welfare of Gaza's inhabitants, including their rights to health, education, food and adequate housing

mmhh

 

[The Fool]

Unfortunately, Operation Cast Lead made it clear that many of the UN employees in Gaza were actually controlled by Hamas.

this was revealed when they refused to say the same thing as the Israeli Government when asked "what happened"


sorry about your blockade wildcat, get used to life without it.

 

[Segnosaur]

Unfortunately, Operation Cast Lead made it clear that many of the UN employees in Gaza were actually controlled by Hamas.

this was revealed when they refused to say the same thing as the Israeli Government when asked "what happened"

Ummm... does this mean you have doubts that some of the employees working for the U.N. are also involved with Hamas?

From: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL05686115
By day, Awad al-Qiq was a respected science teacher and headmaster at a United Nations school in the Gaza Strip. By night, Palestinian militants say, he built rockets for Islamic Jihad.

Granted, this was at a school rather than with food distribution services, but I assume the U.N. would want people to believe that their entire organization is "terrorist-free".

 

[bigjelmapro]

Has been provided in the other threads, but for good measure, I'll post it here as well:

Lost at Sea: NGO Legal Distortions in the Wake of the Flotilla Incident

2) Claim: The blockade of Gaza is illegal and constitutes a form of collective punishment
NGO quotes:

Amnesty International- “‘The activists on the ships made it clear that their primary purpose was to protest against the continuing Israeli blockade, which constitutes a form of collective punishment and so a breach of international law,’ said Malcolm Smart.”

Human Rights Watch- “The blockade, which amounts to the unlawful collective punishment of Gaza's civilian population…”

Center for Constitutional Rights- “Since its inception nearly three years ago, CCR has condemned the blockade as a form of collective punishment.”

War on Want- “The British government must act immediately to put pressure on Israel to end the illegal blockade of Gaza and its military occupation of Palestinian land.”

Analysis:

Is the blockade a form of collective punishment?

Restrictions on the flow of goods in a war environment do not constitute “collective punishment” under international law. “Collective punishment” refers to the imposition of criminal penalties and does not refer to the legal act of retorsion (e.g. sanctions, blockades). In fact, pursuant to Article 23 of the Geneva Convention (which sets standards for the provision of limited humanitarian aid), Israel has no obligation to provide any goods, even minimal humanitarian supplies, if it is “satisfied” that such goods will be diverted or supply of such goods will aid Hamas in its war effort. As numerous credible accounts have reported, Hamas has diverted supplies from Gaza’s civilian population. Although Israel is under no legal obligation, Israel continues to provide hundreds of tons of humanitarian supplies to Gaza on a weekly basis. The cargo carried by the Gaza flotilla was equivalent to approximately the amount of humanitarian aid crossing from Israel into Gaza on a single day.

Also answers the occupation claim, which doesn't apply when controlling one's borders or the employment of a naval blockade.

So no responsibility on Israel's part to provide any of the mentioned items, even a minimal amount of humanitarian aid, which is provided far beyond what is required of Israel.

 

[bigjelmapro]

Unfortunately, Operation Cast Lead made it clear that many of the UN employees in Gaza were actually controlled by Hamas.

Wasn't suggesting the use of UN employees, but of a peacekeeper force with the needed charter to effectively control the flow of goods once they've pass Israeli land entry points.

 

[DC]

Wasn't suggesting the use of UN employees, but of a peacekeeper force with the needed charter to effectively control the flow of goods once they've pass Israeli land entry points.

Israel should control and then give it in the hands of UN forces. imho

 

[McHrozni]

The problem then becomes... if there is an attempt to bring fertilizer into the country, how can border guards tell if the shipment contains 'safe' brands, or is of a more dangerous mixture (I believe the more dangerous ones contain more ammonium nitrate.) After all, the border guards aren't chemists, and there is no guarantee that whatever 'container' that is being brought in contains the material specified on the label.

So, because it is impractical to expect border guards to be able to distinguish between different mixtures, its safer to just ban everything.

Not only that, but extracting the nitrates from fertilizer isn't exactly a grand feat, worthy of a Nobel prize in chemistry. Any fertilizer containing nitrates is potentially dual-use.

McHrozni