5 sept 2013
Palestinians wait at a gas station in Gaza City on 1 September 2013, as tightening blockade has worsened fuel crisis.
Omar Ghraieb @Omar_Gaza No fuel in #Gaza which kills transportation & paralyzes life! More darkness to b cursed, no more generators, just emptiness all around!
Business here r dwindling, economy on its last breath (if not dead already), shortage in water & soon shortage in food & merchandise!
These tweets by blogger Omar Ghraieb capture the despair many of Gaza’s almost 1.7 million Palestinian residents feel as Israel’s blockade, compounded by Egypt’s intensifying crackdown, has brought the territory once more to the brink of catastrophe.
Since the 3 July military coup against Egypt’s elected president Muhammad Morsi, the military regime has destroyed almost all the vital underground supply tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border.
This week, Egypt began demolishing houses along its side of its border with Gaza, a futile and criminal Israeli-style tactic, that is seen as a prelude to establishing a “buffer zone” to further isolate Gaza.
As a result of these and other Egyptian measures, supplies of some critical medicines have hit zero, the construction industry has collapsed, and the Rafah crossing, the only entry and exit for most Gazans, is frequently closed.
The population of Gaza still faces 12-hour daily blackouts due to Israel’s destruction of the electricity infrastructure, but even the relief provided by noisy and often dangerous portable generators is fading into darkness as fuel supplies run out.
Slow death
A new report, “Slow Death; The Collective Punishment of Gaza has reached a Critical Stage,” [PDF] from the human rights monitoring group Euro-Mid Observer, highlights the acute crisis that compounds the effects of the prolonged Israeli blockade.
Ten facts about the Gaza blockade
The report is worth reading in full, but these ten facts about the impact of the blockade capture the scale of the mounting catastrophe and underscore the urgent need for pressure on Israel to end it and for Egypt to end its complicity.
Collective punishment, collective crime
Although it remains the occupying power, Israel declared Gaza a “hostile entity” in 2007 and its then prime minister Ehud Olmert declared, “We will not allow the opening of the crossings to Gaza and outside of Gaza to the extent that it will help them bring back life into a completely normal pace.”
These and other Israeli official statements quoted in the Euro-Mid report highlight that the catastrophe in Gaza is a calculated and intended effect of the siege, making it a war crime and collective punishment under international law.
Complicity
Euro-Mid calls on the “international community,” to pressure Israel to end the blockade.
That call is right, but it is an unavoidable fact that the siege would not have lasted seven long years already without the complicity and support of the “international community” in the form of the United States and its allies, particularly the European Union and compliant Arab regimes.
The siege is collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza, but it is also a collective crime.
Omar Ghraieb @Omar_Gaza No fuel in #Gaza which kills transportation & paralyzes life! More darkness to b cursed, no more generators, just emptiness all around!
Business here r dwindling, economy on its last breath (if not dead already), shortage in water & soon shortage in food & merchandise!
These tweets by blogger Omar Ghraieb capture the despair many of Gaza’s almost 1.7 million Palestinian residents feel as Israel’s blockade, compounded by Egypt’s intensifying crackdown, has brought the territory once more to the brink of catastrophe.
Since the 3 July military coup against Egypt’s elected president Muhammad Morsi, the military regime has destroyed almost all the vital underground supply tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border.
This week, Egypt began demolishing houses along its side of its border with Gaza, a futile and criminal Israeli-style tactic, that is seen as a prelude to establishing a “buffer zone” to further isolate Gaza.
As a result of these and other Egyptian measures, supplies of some critical medicines have hit zero, the construction industry has collapsed, and the Rafah crossing, the only entry and exit for most Gazans, is frequently closed.
The population of Gaza still faces 12-hour daily blackouts due to Israel’s destruction of the electricity infrastructure, but even the relief provided by noisy and often dangerous portable generators is fading into darkness as fuel supplies run out.
Slow death
A new report, “Slow Death; The Collective Punishment of Gaza has reached a Critical Stage,” [PDF] from the human rights monitoring group Euro-Mid Observer, highlights the acute crisis that compounds the effects of the prolonged Israeli blockade.
Ten facts about the Gaza blockade
The report is worth reading in full, but these ten facts about the impact of the blockade capture the scale of the mounting catastrophe and underscore the urgent need for pressure on Israel to end it and for Egypt to end its complicity.
- According to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 57 percent of Gaza households are food insecure as of July 2013, however, if the current Israeli and Egyptians measures remain as they are, 65 percent of Gaza households will be food insecure (World Food Program estimate June 2010).
- As of August 2013, over a third (35.5 percent) of those able and willing to work are unemployed (Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics) – one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. Economists expect that the continuous closure of the tunnels will lead to a sharp increase in the unemployment level (43 percent by the end of 2013 compare with 32 percent in June 2013).
- The continuous closure of the tunnels will lead to a 3 percent decline in the growth by the end of 2013 compared with 15 percent as of June 2013.
- The construction sector is working at less than 15 percent of its previous capacity leading to more than 30,000 losses in job opportunities since July 2013.
- A longstanding electricity deficit, compounded by shortages in fuel needed to run Gaza’s power plant, results in power outages of up to 12 hours a day (UN OCHA, July 2013).
- Only a quarter of households receive running water every day, during several hours only.
- Over 90 percent of the water extracted from the Gaza aquifer is unsafe for human consumption.
- Some 90 million liters of untreated and partially treated sewage are dumped in the sea off the Gaza coast each day, creating public health hazards.
- Over 12,000 people are currently displaced due to their inability to reconstruct their homes, destroyed during hostilities (UNOCHA, July 2013).
- The economy has endured severe losses worth $460 million in all economic sectors within the past two months. (Ministry of Economy- Gaza)
Collective punishment, collective crime
Although it remains the occupying power, Israel declared Gaza a “hostile entity” in 2007 and its then prime minister Ehud Olmert declared, “We will not allow the opening of the crossings to Gaza and outside of Gaza to the extent that it will help them bring back life into a completely normal pace.”
These and other Israeli official statements quoted in the Euro-Mid report highlight that the catastrophe in Gaza is a calculated and intended effect of the siege, making it a war crime and collective punishment under international law.
Complicity
Euro-Mid calls on the “international community,” to pressure Israel to end the blockade.
That call is right, but it is an unavoidable fact that the siege would not have lasted seven long years already without the complicity and support of the “international community” in the form of the United States and its allies, particularly the European Union and compliant Arab regimes.
The siege is collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza, but it is also a collective crime.
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) and its UN partners (FAO, WFP and UNRWA) organized on Wednesday 4th September 2013, a workshop on the results of Scio-economic and food security survey, that attended by the line ministries and number of donor agencies as well as international organizations.
Ms. Ola Awad, president of PCBS had opened the workshop by welcoming the attendances and highlighted the importance of presenting the results of the mentioned survey in the context of the PCBS policy to provide decision makers with the required data and for the sake of the development the used methodologies and to meet the stakeholder's statistical needs.
Ms. Awad pointed out that the implementation of this survey came just after the Israeli war on Gaza late 2012; the sample size of the survey was 8359 households in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip to cover a huge number of socio-economic indicators.
Mr. Mustafa Khawaja, the project manager in PCBS had presented the main results as follow:
Third of the Palestinians suffer food insecurity (about 1.6 million); of which more than half of them in Gaza Strip
The results showed that a complete reversal of the progressive improvements in food security reported since 2010; about 34% of the households suffer food insecurity compared with 33% and 27% for the years 2010 and 2011 respectively, of which 19% in the West Bank in 2012 compared with 22% and 17% for the years 2010 and 2011 respectively. As for Gaza Strip; it was 57% in 2012 compared with 52% and 44% for the years 2010 and 2011 respectively.
West Bank remains more resilient to shocks than Gaza Strip
The result revealed that the sharp decrease in the number of food secure persons in the West Bank was absorbed almost completely by the vulnerable to food insecurity and marginally food secure groups (34% in 2012 comparing with 45% in 2011). In Gaza Strip, food security levels have collapsed in 2012, with a 13 point decrease in the percentage of food secure households compared to 2011 (a 57 percent decrease in relative terms).
Refugee food insecurity in Gaza Strip is better than in the West Bank
As for the refugee status, the data showed that refugee food insecurity in Gaza Strip is consistently lower (56% against 60% for non-refugees), on the other hand; refugee food insecurity in the West Bank is bit higher (23% against 18% for non-refugees).
Consumption gap increases as food insecure face cut backs on assistance
The steep increase in the post-assistance consumption gap reflected the heightened constraints the food insecure face in meeting their minimum needs in 2012 (whether through their own means or by relying on external assistance). In the West Bank, the contribution of the assistants (Governmental, non -governmental, Zakah, relative family and other) declined from 7% in 2011 to 3% in 2012, while it was in Gaza Strip 7% in 2012 compared with 14% in 2011.
Line ministries and UN partners assured the importance of the survey data forward improving the planning and better use of resources
Presenting the results followed by key notes from the Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Planning and Administrative Development, that emphasize the importance of this survey and the data provided through the implementation of such activity as it will contribute in building their 2014-2016 strategic plans, and will be significantly contributed in developing the monitoring and evaluation system at the Ministry of Planning. Moreover, the UN partners (FAO, WFP and UNRWA) commented on the necessity of expanding the utilization of this survey to improve the national plans and to better and efficient use of the available resources as well as the improvement of the social safety net programmes.
The workshop called for efficient dialogue to develop the methodologies of the survey to meet the national needs of statistical data
The workshop closed by Ms. Ola Awad by highlighting the recommendations of the attendances on the need of discussion and dialogue with line ministries and all stakeholders to improve the methodologies of this survey and to go beyond the food security indicators and to be part of the platform on the issue of poverty and consumption survey discussion towards enable PCBS meet the development of the national statistical monitoring system.
Ms. Ola Awad, president of PCBS had opened the workshop by welcoming the attendances and highlighted the importance of presenting the results of the mentioned survey in the context of the PCBS policy to provide decision makers with the required data and for the sake of the development the used methodologies and to meet the stakeholder's statistical needs.
Ms. Awad pointed out that the implementation of this survey came just after the Israeli war on Gaza late 2012; the sample size of the survey was 8359 households in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip to cover a huge number of socio-economic indicators.
Mr. Mustafa Khawaja, the project manager in PCBS had presented the main results as follow:
Third of the Palestinians suffer food insecurity (about 1.6 million); of which more than half of them in Gaza Strip
The results showed that a complete reversal of the progressive improvements in food security reported since 2010; about 34% of the households suffer food insecurity compared with 33% and 27% for the years 2010 and 2011 respectively, of which 19% in the West Bank in 2012 compared with 22% and 17% for the years 2010 and 2011 respectively. As for Gaza Strip; it was 57% in 2012 compared with 52% and 44% for the years 2010 and 2011 respectively.
West Bank remains more resilient to shocks than Gaza Strip
The result revealed that the sharp decrease in the number of food secure persons in the West Bank was absorbed almost completely by the vulnerable to food insecurity and marginally food secure groups (34% in 2012 comparing with 45% in 2011). In Gaza Strip, food security levels have collapsed in 2012, with a 13 point decrease in the percentage of food secure households compared to 2011 (a 57 percent decrease in relative terms).
Refugee food insecurity in Gaza Strip is better than in the West Bank
As for the refugee status, the data showed that refugee food insecurity in Gaza Strip is consistently lower (56% against 60% for non-refugees), on the other hand; refugee food insecurity in the West Bank is bit higher (23% against 18% for non-refugees).
Consumption gap increases as food insecure face cut backs on assistance
The steep increase in the post-assistance consumption gap reflected the heightened constraints the food insecure face in meeting their minimum needs in 2012 (whether through their own means or by relying on external assistance). In the West Bank, the contribution of the assistants (Governmental, non -governmental, Zakah, relative family and other) declined from 7% in 2011 to 3% in 2012, while it was in Gaza Strip 7% in 2012 compared with 14% in 2011.
Line ministries and UN partners assured the importance of the survey data forward improving the planning and better use of resources
Presenting the results followed by key notes from the Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Planning and Administrative Development, that emphasize the importance of this survey and the data provided through the implementation of such activity as it will contribute in building their 2014-2016 strategic plans, and will be significantly contributed in developing the monitoring and evaluation system at the Ministry of Planning. Moreover, the UN partners (FAO, WFP and UNRWA) commented on the necessity of expanding the utilization of this survey to improve the national plans and to better and efficient use of the available resources as well as the improvement of the social safety net programmes.
The workshop called for efficient dialogue to develop the methodologies of the survey to meet the national needs of statistical data
The workshop closed by Ms. Ola Awad by highlighting the recommendations of the attendances on the need of discussion and dialogue with line ministries and all stakeholders to improve the methodologies of this survey and to go beyond the food security indicators and to be part of the platform on the issue of poverty and consumption survey discussion towards enable PCBS meet the development of the national statistical monitoring system.
The overall Quantity of Industrial Production Index (IPI) in Palestine reached 128.35 during July 2013 (base year 2011=100) with an increase of 8.26% compared to the previous month, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said in a press release Thursday.
Quantity of Industrial Production Index for July 2013 increased due to the increase in the water and electricity supply industry by 23.25% which had a share of 14.85% of the total industry. Also, the manufacturing industry which had a share of 80.56% from the total industry increased by 6.00% during July 2013 compared to previous month. While, the activity of mining and quarrying which had a share of 4.59% of the total industry deceased by 5.35% during July 2013 compared to the previous month.
Quantity of Industrial Production Index for July 2013 increased due to the increase in the water and electricity supply industry by 23.25% which had a share of 14.85% of the total industry. Also, the manufacturing industry which had a share of 80.56% from the total industry increased by 6.00% during July 2013 compared to previous month. While, the activity of mining and quarrying which had a share of 4.59% of the total industry deceased by 5.35% during July 2013 compared to the previous month.
The World Bank transferred today an amount of about US$72.2 million to the Palestinian Authority from the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan Trust Fund (PRDP-MDTF), a multi-donor budget support to encourage the continued prostitution of Palestinian Authority to sit with the Israeli zionists and “sell” the rest of Palestine to the colonial occupation easily. The funds contributed by the governments of Kuwait, Australia and the United Kingdom will help support the urgent budget needs of the Palestinian Authority (PA), providing inter alia support for education, health care and other vital social services for the Palestinian people and for the economic reforms currently underway.
The World Bank PRDP Trust Fund was established on April 10, 2008, through an agreement signed between the World Bank and the Palestinian Authority during the 2008 World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings. It is a central component of a World Bank’s effort to support the ongoing Palestinian Reform and Development Plan. Currently, the PRDP-MDTF donors are the governments of Australia, France, Kuwait, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
With the new tranche release, the PRDP-MDTF will have disbursed about US$1.1 billion.
On July 8 2013 – Kuwait and the World Bank signed a US$50 million grant agreement to support the ongoing Palestinian Reform and Development Program (PRDP). This amount is in addition to the $230 million that Kuwait has provided to the PRDP World Bank-administered multi-donor trust fund since 2008.
The agreement was signed by Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Ambassador of Kuwait in Washington, DC, and Inger Andersen, World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa region. Merza Hasan, World Bank Executive Director and Dean of the Executive Board witnessed the signing.
“The State of Kuwait is committed to support the Palestinian Authority, as it has always done, and will remain engaged and committed to ensure the social and economic well-being of its citizens,” said Ambassador Al-Sabah.
The World Bank PRDP Trust Fund was established on April 10, 2008, through an agreement signed between the World Bank and the Palestinian Authority during the 2008 World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings. It is a central component of a World Bank’s effort to support the ongoing Palestinian Reform and Development Plan. Currently, the PRDP-MDTF donors are the governments of Australia, France, Kuwait, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
With the new tranche release, the PRDP-MDTF will have disbursed about US$1.1 billion.
On July 8 2013 – Kuwait and the World Bank signed a US$50 million grant agreement to support the ongoing Palestinian Reform and Development Program (PRDP). This amount is in addition to the $230 million that Kuwait has provided to the PRDP World Bank-administered multi-donor trust fund since 2008.
The agreement was signed by Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Ambassador of Kuwait in Washington, DC, and Inger Andersen, World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa region. Merza Hasan, World Bank Executive Director and Dean of the Executive Board witnessed the signing.
“The State of Kuwait is committed to support the Palestinian Authority, as it has always done, and will remain engaged and committed to ensure the social and economic well-being of its citizens,” said Ambassador Al-Sabah.
4 sept 2013
The World Bank transferred Tuesday $72.2 million to the Palestinian Authority’s budget, a World Bank press report said. The contribution came from the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan Trust Fund (PRDP-MDTF), a multi-donor budget support mechanism administered by the World Bank.
“The funds contributed by the governments of Kuwait, Australia and the United Kingdom will help support the urgent budget needs of the Palestinian Authority (PA), providing inter alia support for education, health care and other vital social services for the Palestinian people and for the economic reforms currently underway,” said the release.
The World Bank PRDP Trust Fund was established on April 10, 2008, through an agreement signed between the World Bank and the Palestinian Authority during the 2008 World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings.
It is a central component of a World Bank’s effort to support the ongoing Palestinian Reform and Development Plan. Currently, the PRDP-MDTF donors are the governments of Australia, France, Kuwait, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
With the new tranche release, the PRDP-MDTF will have disbursed about $1.1 billion.
“The funds contributed by the governments of Kuwait, Australia and the United Kingdom will help support the urgent budget needs of the Palestinian Authority (PA), providing inter alia support for education, health care and other vital social services for the Palestinian people and for the economic reforms currently underway,” said the release.
The World Bank PRDP Trust Fund was established on April 10, 2008, through an agreement signed between the World Bank and the Palestinian Authority during the 2008 World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings.
It is a central component of a World Bank’s effort to support the ongoing Palestinian Reform and Development Plan. Currently, the PRDP-MDTF donors are the governments of Australia, France, Kuwait, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
With the new tranche release, the PRDP-MDTF will have disbursed about $1.1 billion.
The Italian government announced Wednesday that it will donate 60 million euros to the Palestinian Authority over a three year period.
Head of the Foreign Affairs and International Relations Department of the Democratic party, Lapo Pistelli, made the announcement during a meeting with PA minister of finance Shukri Bishara.
Pistelli said the Italian government would continue to support the Palestinian people, with special emphasis on the Gaza Strip and Area C.
The donation will support projects in the health sector and the empowerment of women.
Head of the Foreign Affairs and International Relations Department of the Democratic party, Lapo Pistelli, made the announcement during a meeting with PA minister of finance Shukri Bishara.
Pistelli said the Italian government would continue to support the Palestinian people, with special emphasis on the Gaza Strip and Area C.
The donation will support projects in the health sector and the empowerment of women.
Junya Matsuura, Representative of Japan to the Palestinian Authority and Ambassador for Palestinian Affairs, and Taizo Imano, the head of mission of Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC), signed in Ramallah the grant contract for the School and Community based Health Project in East Jerusalem (phase 2).
The Government of Japan will fund a total amount of USD 298,134 approximately (24,446,988 Japanese Yen) for this project through its Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects, Representative Office of Japan to the PA said in a press statement.
This project includes health education and emergency medical training for schools and communities in Jerusalem Governorate. It focused on capacity building for community services.
Mr. Matsuura expressed his hope that this project will contribute to developing a system to improve and keep children' health in East Jerusalem through JVC's activities targeting at schools and communities, which could contribute to developing local institutions capacity in providing basic daily services to people.
Since 1993, the Government of Japan has extended its official development assistance exceeding USD 1.34 billion to the Palestinian people, including humanitarian assistance, said the statement.
The Government of Japan will fund a total amount of USD 298,134 approximately (24,446,988 Japanese Yen) for this project through its Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects, Representative Office of Japan to the PA said in a press statement.
This project includes health education and emergency medical training for schools and communities in Jerusalem Governorate. It focused on capacity building for community services.
Mr. Matsuura expressed his hope that this project will contribute to developing a system to improve and keep children' health in East Jerusalem through JVC's activities targeting at schools and communities, which could contribute to developing local institutions capacity in providing basic daily services to people.
Since 1993, the Government of Japan has extended its official development assistance exceeding USD 1.34 billion to the Palestinian people, including humanitarian assistance, said the statement.
3 sept 2013
Extendsing its efforts to support the Egyptian coup which forced the legal Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi out last month, Israeli mass media broadcast on Monday morning the operetta "Blessed are the Hands" to hail the Egyptian military forces that carried out the coup in Egypt . Israel's Channel 2 TV broadcast the operetta after Egyptian military bulldozers razed residential houses in the Egyptian Rafah in an effort to create a 500-meter-long buffer zone with the Gaza Strip.
Observers say this act illustrates the extent to which the Israeli occupation is happy with what the Egyptian army is doing to deter the Muslim Brotherhood's power in Egypt, and to boost the Israeli siege that has been imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2006.
The buffer zone will further undermine the flow of goods and medicines to Gaza.
Observers say this act illustrates the extent to which the Israeli occupation is happy with what the Egyptian army is doing to deter the Muslim Brotherhood's power in Egypt, and to boost the Israeli siege that has been imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2006.
The buffer zone will further undermine the flow of goods and medicines to Gaza.
The British Government provided £7.5 million ($11.6 million) as direct financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA), a statement provided by the British Consulate-General in Jerusalem said Tuesday. The payment is also part of a larger pledge to provide up to £122 million ($189.7 million) over four years.
“As the largest bilateral European provider of direct financial assistance to the PA, the UK is committed to provide predictable and long term support to reduce uncertainty, strengthen the PA, and help to ensure any future Palestinian state will be stable, well-run and an effective partner for peace,” said the statement.
“This timely assistance comes to support the PA which continues to face a funding crisis, hampering its efforts to deliver services and improve the quality of life for ordinary Palestinians.”
Jonathan Hargreaves, head of the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) in Jerusalem, said he was pleased to announce the additional payment of £7.5 million to help the Palestinian Authority at this critical time.
“Our strong commitment in helping build a future Palestinian state is driven by our firm belief that a stable, functional PA is a vital part of movement towards the two-state solution,” he said.
“There is no doubt that the PA is a partner for peace under the leadership of President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. We remain a committed and predictable partner and continue to encourage others to be the same,” he added.
These funds are in addition to aid provided through the European Union, 15% of whose budget is funded by the UK. The EU plans to spend this year approximately $200 million. The UK was the first donor to sign a partnership agreement with the PA in 2011.
“As the largest bilateral European provider of direct financial assistance to the PA, the UK is committed to provide predictable and long term support to reduce uncertainty, strengthen the PA, and help to ensure any future Palestinian state will be stable, well-run and an effective partner for peace,” said the statement.
“This timely assistance comes to support the PA which continues to face a funding crisis, hampering its efforts to deliver services and improve the quality of life for ordinary Palestinians.”
Jonathan Hargreaves, head of the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) in Jerusalem, said he was pleased to announce the additional payment of £7.5 million to help the Palestinian Authority at this critical time.
“Our strong commitment in helping build a future Palestinian state is driven by our firm belief that a stable, functional PA is a vital part of movement towards the two-state solution,” he said.
“There is no doubt that the PA is a partner for peace under the leadership of President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. We remain a committed and predictable partner and continue to encourage others to be the same,” he added.
These funds are in addition to aid provided through the European Union, 15% of whose budget is funded by the UK. The EU plans to spend this year approximately $200 million. The UK was the first donor to sign a partnership agreement with the PA in 2011.
A new project will improve access to solid waste management services in the West Bank, The World Bank said in a press release Tuesday.
840,000 Palestinians in Hebron and Bethlehem governorates will have access to better quality and more affordable waste collection. The World Bank, administrator for the Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid (GPOBA), will support the Palestinian Authority with the US$8.3million grant for the project.
"Unsanitary waste collection and disposal is a serious issue in Hebron and Bethlehem, particularly for the poor living close to unregulated dumpsites at the edge of towns and villages. The grant will improve the quality and the efficiency of the solid waste management system and consequently will help protect the environment and health of citizens," said Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for the West Bank and Gaza.
Subsidies will be provided to the service providers - Municipalities and Village Councils, the Joint Services Councils for Planning and Development, the Joint Services Council of Hebron as well as of Bethlehem - to improve the solid waste management collection services and to promote financial sustainability of the solid waste management system.
"The project is one of the first to use the output-based aid approach (OBA) - the OBA subsidy will serve as an incentive to the service provider who will receive it if they meet performance targets. The grant will provide much needed support to the local authorities and will foster sustainable solid waste management services," said Carmen Nonay, Manager, GPOBA.
Hebron and Bethlehem are the poorest governorates in the West Bank and generate 20 percent of the area's total solid waste. While primary service collection is carried out, the fiscal and institutional constraints significantly affect the quality and the sustainability of the system. The project aims to improve the quality and cost-recovery of waste management, including sanitary disposal and treatment.
The OBA approach provides well-designed incentives to increase service quality which in turn will affect customer willingness to pay and gradually recover costs borne by the service providers. The OBA subsidy will phase out after four years of the newly constructed landfill's operations at Al Minya, when user revenues will sufficiently cover the increased costs of adequate service delivery.
"The performance mechanism provides incentives to achieve efficient collection, transportation, proper use of disposal facilities, and appropriate planning and monitoring through a modern integrated Management Information System for affordable and safe management of waste, including dangerous waste. The performance scorecard system will systemically track progress and will help our member municipalities to learn from one another, and possibly others in the region," said Dr. Daoud Zaatari, Mayor of Hebron, Chairman, Joint Services Council for Hebron and Bethlehem.
The OBA pilot is part of the larger Southern West Bank Solid Waste Management Project, supported by the World Bank, the European Union and other donors, following the successful implementation of a similar project in the Northern West Bank. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is supporting JSC-H&B through a public-private partnership to manage the new sanitary landfill and related facilities. IFC is also providing technical support to JSC-H&B to assist with the start-up and implementation of both the World Bank and GPOBA-funded projects.
It's worth mentioning that GPOBA is a global partnership program established in 2003 and administered by the World Bank. It is a multi-donor trust fund used to develop OBA approaches across a variety of sectors including infrastructure, health, and education. Its portfolio of 36 OBA pilot projects, for which a cumulative total of $92.5 million in disbursements has been made, has provided access to basic services to more than four million poor beneficiaries.
840,000 Palestinians in Hebron and Bethlehem governorates will have access to better quality and more affordable waste collection. The World Bank, administrator for the Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid (GPOBA), will support the Palestinian Authority with the US$8.3million grant for the project.
"Unsanitary waste collection and disposal is a serious issue in Hebron and Bethlehem, particularly for the poor living close to unregulated dumpsites at the edge of towns and villages. The grant will improve the quality and the efficiency of the solid waste management system and consequently will help protect the environment and health of citizens," said Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for the West Bank and Gaza.
Subsidies will be provided to the service providers - Municipalities and Village Councils, the Joint Services Councils for Planning and Development, the Joint Services Council of Hebron as well as of Bethlehem - to improve the solid waste management collection services and to promote financial sustainability of the solid waste management system.
"The project is one of the first to use the output-based aid approach (OBA) - the OBA subsidy will serve as an incentive to the service provider who will receive it if they meet performance targets. The grant will provide much needed support to the local authorities and will foster sustainable solid waste management services," said Carmen Nonay, Manager, GPOBA.
Hebron and Bethlehem are the poorest governorates in the West Bank and generate 20 percent of the area's total solid waste. While primary service collection is carried out, the fiscal and institutional constraints significantly affect the quality and the sustainability of the system. The project aims to improve the quality and cost-recovery of waste management, including sanitary disposal and treatment.
The OBA approach provides well-designed incentives to increase service quality which in turn will affect customer willingness to pay and gradually recover costs borne by the service providers. The OBA subsidy will phase out after four years of the newly constructed landfill's operations at Al Minya, when user revenues will sufficiently cover the increased costs of adequate service delivery.
"The performance mechanism provides incentives to achieve efficient collection, transportation, proper use of disposal facilities, and appropriate planning and monitoring through a modern integrated Management Information System for affordable and safe management of waste, including dangerous waste. The performance scorecard system will systemically track progress and will help our member municipalities to learn from one another, and possibly others in the region," said Dr. Daoud Zaatari, Mayor of Hebron, Chairman, Joint Services Council for Hebron and Bethlehem.
The OBA pilot is part of the larger Southern West Bank Solid Waste Management Project, supported by the World Bank, the European Union and other donors, following the successful implementation of a similar project in the Northern West Bank. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is supporting JSC-H&B through a public-private partnership to manage the new sanitary landfill and related facilities. IFC is also providing technical support to JSC-H&B to assist with the start-up and implementation of both the World Bank and GPOBA-funded projects.
It's worth mentioning that GPOBA is a global partnership program established in 2003 and administered by the World Bank. It is a multi-donor trust fund used to develop OBA approaches across a variety of sectors including infrastructure, health, and education. Its portfolio of 36 OBA pilot projects, for which a cumulative total of $92.5 million in disbursements has been made, has provided access to basic services to more than four million poor beneficiaries.
2 sept 2013
The water authority of coastal municipalities in Gaza Strip has warned of an imminent environmental and health disaster in the besieged enclave. It said in a statement on Monday that the shortage in fuel necessary for operating its services was heralding that disaster.
The authority appealed to all human rights groups, international relief organizations, and UN-affiliated institutions to urgently intervene and provide necessary fuel quantities to operate its vital utilities for citizens.
It said that some of its utilities were already shut down while others were operating at very low efficiency.
The authority warned that the fuel crisis coupled with the summer season, where demand on water is in its peak, had almost crippled its ability to provide necessary water supplies to citizens.
It said that the fuel shortage would also lead to halting sewage treatment and would force the municipalities to pump untreated sewage water into the sea, which would further exacerbate pollution and negatively affect the environment and human health.
The authority appealed to all human rights groups, international relief organizations, and UN-affiliated institutions to urgently intervene and provide necessary fuel quantities to operate its vital utilities for citizens.
It said that some of its utilities were already shut down while others were operating at very low efficiency.
The authority warned that the fuel crisis coupled with the summer season, where demand on water is in its peak, had almost crippled its ability to provide necessary water supplies to citizens.
It said that the fuel shortage would also lead to halting sewage treatment and would force the municipalities to pump untreated sewage water into the sea, which would further exacerbate pollution and negatively affect the environment and human health.
Gaza youth in a graduation ceremony
"International aid aimed at the Gaza Strip is far from directed towards a long-term economic development in which youth have active roles"
Youth in any society are looked at as the enforcer for change and development, and the backbone to economic prosperity. However, the political and economic situation in the Gaza Strip inhibit significant, youth-propelled development.
Young Population
According to UN estimates, about 65 percent of Gaza’s 1.7 million people are under 25. Absence of this should-be-effectively-functioning youth force particularly harms community development in Gaza.
Unemployment, a global disease crippling the nations' human powers, seems to eat away Gaza young generation's capacities. Sharek Youth Forum report for 2013 indicates that more than one third of Palestinian youth are unemployed, with the highest unemployment rate among young people with higher education.
Lost Oppotunities
"Most of the projects carried out by the UNDP in Gaza are directed towards supporting the economic situation by creating job opportunities," said Dania Darwish, communication officer for the Program in the Palestinian territories.
While the most recent OCHA report indicates that "the seven-year-long blockade on the coastal enclave led nearly 70 percent of industrial establishments in Gaza to close, while 120,000 private sector jobs were lost in the first two years of closure,"
On the role of Gaza youth in community development, youth activist Mohamed Hasna said youth does not have an integral role; huge capacities have been long disabled to bring about a real nationwide development,"
"Lack of free movement in and out of Gaza through border crossings prevent many of young Palestinians to enroll in graduate studies or participate in professional training to acquire new expertise," he added.
Temporary Jobs
Ibrahim Banat, an electrical engineer working as a trainer of electricity basics for government vocational school, said "life is hard here; the $350 I am paid can do nothing for someone to get married and start a family,"
Asked whether the youth sector in Gaza could thrive the frail economy, Ibrahim didn’t think so "neither the financial nor the natural resources available qualify the Gaza youth to push economic development,"
Ibrahim pointing to the government's employment policy, he said "it should expand its job creation projects so that one not only could work for a few months, but to last longer so the he\she could build his own work experience,"
Moreover, he thinks the government has to support youth to start their own businesses, "everyone knows that the government here operates under Israeli blockade and can barely pay its employees, but there should be plans to encourage small businesses through cutting taxes, and sponsoring entrepreneurs by paying the rents for their projects,"
Far-fetched Economic Recovery
Even United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has its work focused on aiding the economy and assisting those affected by wars launched against the Gaza Strip rather than moving development forward. Following the November 2012 Israeli offensive, a UNDP-supervised household survey found that Gaza’s economy will require significant aid and will take years to fully recover.
A combination of unemployment, closures, and restrictions has further compounded the problem for Gaza youth who fall at the heart of the economic crisis. With unemployment in Gaza reaching alarmingly high levels, the last incursion further paralyzed economic development, destroying much of the remaining productive resources, capital stock, and employment opportunities.
Involving Youth in Governance
Alray asked Director General of the government media office in Gaza Salamah Marouf about the government activity regarding Gaza youth as a main category in the Gaza society, he said "no government in the world can squarely meet youth aspirations like having a better-paid job, and a happy married life; what for a besieged government!"
"Initiatives to involve Palestinian youth in political life have been impeded due to internal division," said Mahmoud Baroud, Director General of Youth Department at the Ministry of Youth in Gaza.
"Youth law had been passed in late 2011 stipulating the formation Youth parliament with its speaker acting as the Prime Minister's advisor. Given the political division among Palestinians, we couldn't achieve this move,"
"As an alternative to the parliament intended, two week ago, we met with the youth societies and activists based in the five Gaza governorates and decided to launch the Youth Advisory Council as a body linking youth to the Palestinian government," he revealed.
"International aid aimed at the Gaza Strip is far from directed towards a long-term economic development in which youth have active roles"
Youth in any society are looked at as the enforcer for change and development, and the backbone to economic prosperity. However, the political and economic situation in the Gaza Strip inhibit significant, youth-propelled development.
Young Population
According to UN estimates, about 65 percent of Gaza’s 1.7 million people are under 25. Absence of this should-be-effectively-functioning youth force particularly harms community development in Gaza.
Unemployment, a global disease crippling the nations' human powers, seems to eat away Gaza young generation's capacities. Sharek Youth Forum report for 2013 indicates that more than one third of Palestinian youth are unemployed, with the highest unemployment rate among young people with higher education.
Lost Oppotunities
"Most of the projects carried out by the UNDP in Gaza are directed towards supporting the economic situation by creating job opportunities," said Dania Darwish, communication officer for the Program in the Palestinian territories.
While the most recent OCHA report indicates that "the seven-year-long blockade on the coastal enclave led nearly 70 percent of industrial establishments in Gaza to close, while 120,000 private sector jobs were lost in the first two years of closure,"
On the role of Gaza youth in community development, youth activist Mohamed Hasna said youth does not have an integral role; huge capacities have been long disabled to bring about a real nationwide development,"
"Lack of free movement in and out of Gaza through border crossings prevent many of young Palestinians to enroll in graduate studies or participate in professional training to acquire new expertise," he added.
Temporary Jobs
Ibrahim Banat, an electrical engineer working as a trainer of electricity basics for government vocational school, said "life is hard here; the $350 I am paid can do nothing for someone to get married and start a family,"
Asked whether the youth sector in Gaza could thrive the frail economy, Ibrahim didn’t think so "neither the financial nor the natural resources available qualify the Gaza youth to push economic development,"
Ibrahim pointing to the government's employment policy, he said "it should expand its job creation projects so that one not only could work for a few months, but to last longer so the he\she could build his own work experience,"
Moreover, he thinks the government has to support youth to start their own businesses, "everyone knows that the government here operates under Israeli blockade and can barely pay its employees, but there should be plans to encourage small businesses through cutting taxes, and sponsoring entrepreneurs by paying the rents for their projects,"
Far-fetched Economic Recovery
Even United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has its work focused on aiding the economy and assisting those affected by wars launched against the Gaza Strip rather than moving development forward. Following the November 2012 Israeli offensive, a UNDP-supervised household survey found that Gaza’s economy will require significant aid and will take years to fully recover.
A combination of unemployment, closures, and restrictions has further compounded the problem for Gaza youth who fall at the heart of the economic crisis. With unemployment in Gaza reaching alarmingly high levels, the last incursion further paralyzed economic development, destroying much of the remaining productive resources, capital stock, and employment opportunities.
Involving Youth in Governance
Alray asked Director General of the government media office in Gaza Salamah Marouf about the government activity regarding Gaza youth as a main category in the Gaza society, he said "no government in the world can squarely meet youth aspirations like having a better-paid job, and a happy married life; what for a besieged government!"
"Initiatives to involve Palestinian youth in political life have been impeded due to internal division," said Mahmoud Baroud, Director General of Youth Department at the Ministry of Youth in Gaza.
"Youth law had been passed in late 2011 stipulating the formation Youth parliament with its speaker acting as the Prime Minister's advisor. Given the political division among Palestinians, we couldn't achieve this move,"
"As an alternative to the parliament intended, two week ago, we met with the youth societies and activists based in the five Gaza governorates and decided to launch the Youth Advisory Council as a body linking youth to the Palestinian government," he revealed.
Caretaker Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah will begin an international tour this week to secure financial support for the Palestinian Authority.
Hamdallah will seek $500 million to cover the PA's budget deficit and to continue paying civil servants on time, his office said in a statement.
During the trip, Hamdallah will meet with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Brussels.
Hamdallah will seek $500 million to cover the PA's budget deficit and to continue paying civil servants on time, his office said in a statement.
During the trip, Hamdallah will meet with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Brussels.
Egyptian forces have demolished six tunnels and 20 homes near the Gaza border since Sunday, an Egyptian security official said Monday.
Egyptian forces used explosives to destroy four smuggling tunnels in the Sarsuriyya neighborhood on Sunday and two tunnels in Hilwat on Monday, the security official told Ma'an,
Twenty homes near the border have been destroyed, he added.
The official said Egyptian forces had destroyed over 350 smuggling tunnels since the army deposed Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in early July.
Egyptian forces have tightened control of Rafah, a town that straddles the Egypt-Gaza border, as well as the waters by the border to prevent smuggling by sea.
Egypt's navy has deployed lightly-armed warships off the coast of the border and banned fishing near Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid.
A senior Egyptian military official said Sunday that Egypt plans to impose a 500-meter buffer zone along its border with the Gaza Strip.
Egyptian residents living in Saladin, al-Barahmeh, Canada, Brazil, al-Sarsouriya and other neighborhoods close to the Gaza border have received eviction notices.
Homeowners who received eviction orders demonstrated against the decision and burned tires in protest.
Army bulldozers have also uprooted trees in the border area.
Egyptian forces used explosives to destroy four smuggling tunnels in the Sarsuriyya neighborhood on Sunday and two tunnels in Hilwat on Monday, the security official told Ma'an,
Twenty homes near the border have been destroyed, he added.
The official said Egyptian forces had destroyed over 350 smuggling tunnels since the army deposed Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in early July.
Egyptian forces have tightened control of Rafah, a town that straddles the Egypt-Gaza border, as well as the waters by the border to prevent smuggling by sea.
Egypt's navy has deployed lightly-armed warships off the coast of the border and banned fishing near Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid.
A senior Egyptian military official said Sunday that Egypt plans to impose a 500-meter buffer zone along its border with the Gaza Strip.
Egyptian residents living in Saladin, al-Barahmeh, Canada, Brazil, al-Sarsouriya and other neighborhoods close to the Gaza border have received eviction notices.
Homeowners who received eviction orders demonstrated against the decision and burned tires in protest.
Army bulldozers have also uprooted trees in the border area.
Head of the Palestinian Fishermen's Syndicate, Nizar Ayyash, stated that Gaza's fishermen suffer more difficult conditions in light of the Israeli persecution against them and the imposed siege. In addition to the limited fishing zone, which Israel has set to six nautical miles, Gaza’s fishermen are also suffering from a lack of fuel after the Egyptian military demolished many smuggling tunnels stretching under the borders between Gaza and Egypt.
There are 3,700 fishermen and1,500 fishing boats in the Gaza Strip. Since the outbreak of the second intifada, ten fishermen were killed, 40 others were injured and 400 fishermen were arrested, in addition to dozens of confiscated boats.
Ayyash denied the release of four fishermen who were arrested few days ago while sailing close to the Egyptian territorial waters.
Egyptian navy opened fire last week at several Palestinian fishing boats, wounding two fishermen and arresting four others.
There are 3,700 fishermen and1,500 fishing boats in the Gaza Strip. Since the outbreak of the second intifada, ten fishermen were killed, 40 others were injured and 400 fishermen were arrested, in addition to dozens of confiscated boats.
Ayyash denied the release of four fishermen who were arrested few days ago while sailing close to the Egyptian territorial waters.
Egyptian navy opened fire last week at several Palestinian fishing boats, wounding two fishermen and arresting four others.
Egypt's military authorities have bulldozed Egyptian homes along the Gaza Strip border in order to destroy the tunnels linking Egyptian Rafah to the Strip, despite the fact that those tunnels serve as a life line for the besieged strip. Hundreds of tunnels have been dug under the Egyptian-Palestinian borders since the unjust Israeli siege imposed on the strip in 2007, where more than 20 thousand Palestinians work to bring vital supplies into the besieged Gaza Strip.
The tunnels had helped over the past years the Gaza population to survive the difficult humanitarian situation, especially during the two Israeli wars.
It is worth mentioning that the Egyptian military authorities have launched a campaign to destroy tunnels linking between the Egyptian and Palestinian Rafah.
A state of tension has prevailed in the Egyptian Rafah where hundreds of Egyptian residents took to the streets to protest against destroying their homes by Egyptian army.
The residents have expressed their anger over the demolition of their houses especially that they were not allowed to take their belongings out.
The Egyptian army has notified many families living close to the border with the Gaza Strip of its intention to demolish their homes.
The military aimed to create a building-free zone with no trees 600 meters (1,640 feet) wide and 14 kilometers long starting at the Rafah border crossing and ending at the Mediterranean Sea.
A big difference has been noticed after Egypt's military coup, since early July, in dealing with residents along the Egyptian-Palestinian borders.
A free trade zone was planned to be established on the Egyptian - Palestinian border, during Morsi's rule, aiming to end the tunnel trade which amounted to nearly one billion dollars per year to Egypt.
The Gaza government rejected the Egyptian intention to create a buffer zone along the border with the Gaza Strip.
Ehab Ghussain, spokesman for the government, said that there should be no buffer zones “between brothers and friendly countries.”
Ghussain expressed hope that the Egyptian move would not “reinforce the blockade” and increase the suffering of the people in the Gaza Strip, calling for establishing a free trade area instead of a buffer zone.
For his part, Maher Al-Tabbaa, a Gaza-based economist, warned of demolishing the tunnels without establishing a free trade zone, saying that it would cause an economic, social, and humanitarian crisis in the besieged strip.
Nearly 90% of the smuggling tunnels along the border with the Gaza Strip have stopped functioning as a result of Egypt’s security measures, he pointed.
Demolishing the tunnels without an alternative solution would tighten the Israeli siege imposed since 2007, he added.
The tunnels had helped over the past years the Gaza population to survive the difficult humanitarian situation, especially during the two Israeli wars.
It is worth mentioning that the Egyptian military authorities have launched a campaign to destroy tunnels linking between the Egyptian and Palestinian Rafah.
A state of tension has prevailed in the Egyptian Rafah where hundreds of Egyptian residents took to the streets to protest against destroying their homes by Egyptian army.
The residents have expressed their anger over the demolition of their houses especially that they were not allowed to take their belongings out.
The Egyptian army has notified many families living close to the border with the Gaza Strip of its intention to demolish their homes.
The military aimed to create a building-free zone with no trees 600 meters (1,640 feet) wide and 14 kilometers long starting at the Rafah border crossing and ending at the Mediterranean Sea.
A big difference has been noticed after Egypt's military coup, since early July, in dealing with residents along the Egyptian-Palestinian borders.
A free trade zone was planned to be established on the Egyptian - Palestinian border, during Morsi's rule, aiming to end the tunnel trade which amounted to nearly one billion dollars per year to Egypt.
The Gaza government rejected the Egyptian intention to create a buffer zone along the border with the Gaza Strip.
Ehab Ghussain, spokesman for the government, said that there should be no buffer zones “between brothers and friendly countries.”
Ghussain expressed hope that the Egyptian move would not “reinforce the blockade” and increase the suffering of the people in the Gaza Strip, calling for establishing a free trade area instead of a buffer zone.
For his part, Maher Al-Tabbaa, a Gaza-based economist, warned of demolishing the tunnels without establishing a free trade zone, saying that it would cause an economic, social, and humanitarian crisis in the besieged strip.
Nearly 90% of the smuggling tunnels along the border with the Gaza Strip have stopped functioning as a result of Egypt’s security measures, he pointed.
Demolishing the tunnels without an alternative solution would tighten the Israeli siege imposed since 2007, he added.
