13 mar 2014
A Palestinian child during a protest in front of the UNRWA headquarters in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on January 26, 2014
The European Union has warned of "serious consequences" for Middle East regional security if the Gaza Strip's dire economic and humanitarian situation is not addressed.
A report commissioned by EU consuls-general in East Jerusalem and Ramallah urged Israel to ease access restrictions to the blockaded Palestinian territory, especially in light of an unprecedented crackdown by the new Egyptian regime on Gaza's western border.
"Today, Gaza is facing a dangerous and pressing humanitarian and economic situation... (including) the cessation of imports of construction materials; rising unemployment, rising prices and increased food insecurity," the report said.
"If left unaddressed, the situation could have serious consequences for stability in Gaza, for security more widely in the region as well as for the peace process itself," it said, referring to ongoing US-backed Israeli-Palestinian talks.
"Israel bears the prime responsibility for the situation in Gaza," it said, adding that a seventh consecutive year of blockading the Strip had caused "further deterioration of the humanitarian situation and of the economic and social conditions."
The report highlighted the economic damage caused by both the blockade Israel imposed in 2006, and Egypt's destruction of hundreds of cross-border tunnels after the July ouster of president Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, an ally of the Hamas Islamist movement that governs Gaza.
"For several years, these tunnels kept Gaza's economy afloat... accounting for more than 80 percent of Gaza's supply of construction materials, medical supplies, food, and other goods," it said.
The resulting lack of fuel has led to up to 16 hours per day of power outages in the coastal enclave of some 1.7 million people.
Additionally, "the lack of construction activity is of great concern as the construction sector has been the primary employer in the Gaza Strip since 2008."
The report also called for reconciliation between Hamas and its West Bank-based rivals Fatah, who have failed to patch up their differences since Hamas took over the Strip after fierce in-fighting in 2007.
A uniting of Palestinian factions would help ensure human rights laws are respected by Hamas, and would help push forward the Israel-Palestinian talks, the report said.
Any peace agreement would go to a popular referendum, including in the Gaza Strip, which was an "integral" part of a future Palestinian state.
The European Union has warned of "serious consequences" for Middle East regional security if the Gaza Strip's dire economic and humanitarian situation is not addressed.
A report commissioned by EU consuls-general in East Jerusalem and Ramallah urged Israel to ease access restrictions to the blockaded Palestinian territory, especially in light of an unprecedented crackdown by the new Egyptian regime on Gaza's western border.
"Today, Gaza is facing a dangerous and pressing humanitarian and economic situation... (including) the cessation of imports of construction materials; rising unemployment, rising prices and increased food insecurity," the report said.
"If left unaddressed, the situation could have serious consequences for stability in Gaza, for security more widely in the region as well as for the peace process itself," it said, referring to ongoing US-backed Israeli-Palestinian talks.
"Israel bears the prime responsibility for the situation in Gaza," it said, adding that a seventh consecutive year of blockading the Strip had caused "further deterioration of the humanitarian situation and of the economic and social conditions."
The report highlighted the economic damage caused by both the blockade Israel imposed in 2006, and Egypt's destruction of hundreds of cross-border tunnels after the July ouster of president Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, an ally of the Hamas Islamist movement that governs Gaza.
"For several years, these tunnels kept Gaza's economy afloat... accounting for more than 80 percent of Gaza's supply of construction materials, medical supplies, food, and other goods," it said.
The resulting lack of fuel has led to up to 16 hours per day of power outages in the coastal enclave of some 1.7 million people.
Additionally, "the lack of construction activity is of great concern as the construction sector has been the primary employer in the Gaza Strip since 2008."
The report also called for reconciliation between Hamas and its West Bank-based rivals Fatah, who have failed to patch up their differences since Hamas took over the Strip after fierce in-fighting in 2007.
A uniting of Palestinian factions would help ensure human rights laws are respected by Hamas, and would help push forward the Israel-Palestinian talks, the report said.
Any peace agreement would go to a popular referendum, including in the Gaza Strip, which was an "integral" part of a future Palestinian state.
Banned, restricted and allowed Pesticides spread diseases and are misused by farmers.
Israel slow murders our people and prevents the entry of pesticide scanners residues in vegetables and fruits.
Scientific studies, human rights organizations, and specialists confirm the lack of commitment by farmers to safety pesticides periods.
Gaza Cultivation.. No budget, weak performance in controlling the farmers, accepting justification without sufficient solutions.
PNN Exclusive/ Report by Hassan Dohan
In his thirteen Acers land at Amer neighborhood in the east of Rafah lived Ahmad in his farm. Ahmed used to oversees his workers while picking the tomatoes, cucumbers, even though it did not pass the required time for the erosion of the toxins left by pesticides that sprayed the vegetable seedlings.
On the other hand Ahmad neglected the agronomists and the specialist's directions. They guide farmers to wait from 70- 90 days after spraying vegetables with poison pesticide " Nemacur ", so that they can reap the fruits and ensure the safety transmission of these toxins to humans. Ahmed did not consider these instructions, he instructs his farmers to harvest the fruit early and sold it to dealers, who in turn sell them to citizens while it is still carrying toxin and pesticides that have been sprayed with.
Farmers in the Gaza Strip use hundreds types of allowed or banned pesticides. They spray their crops to control insects, worms and accelerate the ripening of fruits. All this is done without any control by the Ministry of Agriculture who supervises the agricultural sector causing a real threat to human health.
The farmer tried to evade answering the question of his commitment to the safety required periods after spraying, saying, "When we lose no one recognizes us, and we know that there is a risk but it's not a big deal. On the other hand the costs of agriculture is very expensive and no one support us", He also complained from the absence of the agricultural engineers or specialists of the Ministry of Agriculture who never visit, or guide him of the best ways of using pesticides.
The farmer Ahmed, who requested to deny his full name to avoid any prosecution, said that he buys some pesticides such as pesticide Nemacur after obtaining special permission from the Ministry of Agriculture, without any supervision by the ministry or assurance if the pesticide meets the required safety conditions.
Farmer Hammad Al-Dbari 50 years confirms that farmers grow part of vegetables in their land without spraying it, to be used only by them and their families so as not to be susceptible to diseases caused by these pesticides. This is also confirmed by Al- Mezan Center for Human Rights in a previous study. The study confirms that some farmers cultivate parts of their land only for their diet, while the other parts are cultivated for the citizens. Farmers don't care when cultivating for citizens about the appropriate use of pesticides.
The Israeli occupation forces prevented farmer Al-Dbari of cultivating his land because it is located next to east Rafah border, as a reason he works for other farmers to provide his children living.
The agricultural land area in the Gaza Strip is about 150 thousand acres 75 thousand acres of which are planted with vegetables. It produces annually more than 300 tons of vegetables. There are 48 thousand people working within the agricultural sector, most of them are farmers.
Pesticides are considered poison; most of it are nervous toxins such as phosphorus and carbamates pesticides aggregates.
The pesticide effect depends on a number of factors, most importantly is the dose and time relation. It is divided into Insecticide, fungicide pesticides and others.
The farmer Mohammed Dahdouh who owns eight acres in the area of Sheikh Ejlien in Gaza which is planted in cucumber and squash indicates that he uses a number of pesticides, including pesticide Nemacur two days before planting, he also sprayed the squash every week with the white powdery Mildew, reddish, spider pesticides.
Although the allowed safety pesticides normal period is three days to one week, to ensure no residues of those pesticides in vegetables, yet the farmers rush to harvest and reap the fruits only after one day from spraying the pesticide Al-Aufeer.
He adds we use Nemacur and Confidor pesticide in most grown crops. Medicine is placed before a day or two of planting a seedling, with a safety period of three months so that the residues of toxins are faded from the fruits.
The pesticide residues in vegetables, trees, soil and groundwater, are a major threat to the consumer health, whether it is used as human food or animal feed.
The farmer Khalil Zourob who oversees the cultivation of 30 Acers in Khan Younis says: "We use many types of pesticides such as Nemacur and Confidor and Marshall and Dberon, all types are needed for seedlings vegetables because it has some diseases so we splash it by pesticides, but he has no information about the required safety period which he has to be committed to, to ensure the erosion of pesticide residues of vegetables before harvesting it.
Zourob confirms that the pesticides prices are very expensive, while the vegetables prices are inappropriate for the farmers, he says:" our land is planted with potatoes, watermelons, but the Agriculture Ministry is not interested in guiding farmers, and we are exposed to big losses and no one gives us anything.
The aim of using pesticides such as Nemacur is to sterilize the soil, accelerate the growth of the seedling, and eradication of diseases. These diseases affect the soil due to the adoption of the continuous vertical agriculture in Gaza Strip throughout the year without any respite period as a result of the lack of agricultural land.
The area of the Gaza Strip is, 365 square kilometers , with a population of ( 1.850 ) million, It is considered as one of the world's most populous area, which in turn contributed to the shrinking area of the agricultural land due to the urbanization that reached 40 % of the strip area -as mentioned by the Previous Ministry of Agriculture.
The vegetables dealer Fathi Al-Nada confirms that farmers do not adhere to safety periods required for the use of pesticides. For example when tomatoes prices are high, farmers picked it before it is reaped and become normal, but they put on redness pesticides to reap before it's time.
AL-Nada Illustrates that the Ministry of Agriculture deals with the complaints, but there is no strict control. He says things are chaos in the agricultural sector. What really matters farmers is the profit. Therefore in the case of high prices farmers use pesticides to accelerate and reap the fruits, while, when the prices are cheap, Farmers are committed to safety periods as written on the pesticide instructions.
No censorship
At his farm which is ten acres Near Sheikh Ejleen in Gaza, planted with cabbage, squash, complains farmer Saadi Shamllakh 64 years of lack of control or supervision by the Ministry of Agriculture. He confirmed that none of the ministry agronomists supervise or monitor the crops, stressing that they haven't visited him since more than one year.
He says: we also face some problems in the grape crops in terms of the higher prices of pesticides, as well as it start to have no effect as before accusing traders of manipulating the composition of some pesticides.
Farmers are suffering from high prices of fertilizers, pesticides, gas pipelines dedicated to enriching the soil, and the spread of diseases and insects, as a result of the weather vagaries and the increased types of harmful insects. This in turn requires more care and purchasing additional pesticides and this doubles the cost of agriculture.
The farmer Mohammed AL-Malahi aged 38 years says that the pesticide Nemacur is one of the most dangerous pesticides as it causes cancer. Unfortunately the Ministry of Agriculture is the one who gives this pesticide for some farmers who are selling and profiting from it.
Some farmers indicates the presence of banned pesticides sold in stores without any oversight from the Ministry of Agriculture , such as the dangerous pesticide Altmik that he purchased from one of the shops fertilizers without any reservation. It is a poison for rodents and is used for watermelon and cantaloupe, which causes kidney failure and cancerous tumors in humans.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights confirms in one of the latest study that some traders provide a number of pesticides types through the tunnels, some of which are corrupt and tainted. They change the label on the package and replace it. For example, by another Israeli product this causes a negative impact on the proper use of this pesticide. There is a big difference in the quality and concentration of these pesticides, which in turn negatively affect citizens' health.
The Chairman of Al-Mawasi Agricultural Cooperative Assembly Rafah Mr. Fareed Saidam confirms that only 20% farmers are committed to the safe use of pesticides. This may result due to the absence of control or awareness guidance to farmers neglecting the serious danger of these pesticides on citizen's health. He says that some pesticides are a direct cause of cancer, especially Nemacur, Confidor, and Temik , pointing to the lack of screening devices at the Ministry of Agriculture to check if the produced and sold vegetables or fruits contain residues of Toxic pesticides .
Saidam explains that the Israelis returns export vegetables or fruits when they receive it and discover the presence of pesticide residues in it due to in commitment by farmers to safety period. He confirms that the banned pesticides such as Temik which farmers use on melon and cucumber are sold without any observation on merchant. As a result we hear about cases of poisoning due to eating this product.
He also says that zucchini in the summer can't grow up successfully unless they use confidor pesticide, which is dangerous on human health. Mr. Fareed calls to support farmers and reduce the use of pesticides. He aims that it can be daily under the Ministry of Agriculture agronomist's supervision. He also wishes that they can bring the necessary equipment for testing. He adds that the Nevall gas is used to sterilize the land and the price of the tube that weight 50 kg is 5000 NIS. In addition many countries have banned its use and replaced this gas by the heat sterilization.
Saidam adds that the Ministry of Agriculture is supposed to monitor and conduct periodically tests on samples of vegetables and fruits in Israel or Egypt, stressing that the causes of cancer, are mostly from food, especially vegetables.
The director of Agricultural Cooperative Association in Beit Lahiya, Engineer Mohamed Ghaban that there is a big problem relating from the inability of laboratories sector which fail to examine pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. Exporters, including strawberries exporters pay to perform these tests in the Israel. These tests are required to assure the products safety of pesticide residues and it is not harmful to human health.
He says that the number of farmers who have an international quality certificate is 212 strawberry farmers. 60 out of 48 thousand workers in the agriculture sector.
The number of workers in Gaza Government \Ministry of Agriculture is 330 employees, including 125 agricultural engineer. Most of them suffer from lack of possibilities and means of transportation, to possess their supervision and control farmers. Another obstacle is the decline in the Ministry's budget from six million and 200000 shekels to 4. Million and 200000 shekels, to reach in 2014 two million and700 thousand shekels due to the policy of austerity. The agricultural production in the national income is about 6.7 % in the Gaza Strip alone. 18 % in Palestine, as mentioned by the previous Ministry Assistant of natural recourses at the Agricultural Ministry Saleh Bakhit .
Diseases and damages
Different scientific studies emphasizes that pesticide residues in fruits, vegetables, soil, and water causes many health risks, some of which are infertility, miscarriage, influence on the ability to produce healthy embryos, the production of cancerous tumors in the living tissue of the animal, poisoning the nervous system, including the brain, disrupt the natural response of the immune system which is responsible for protecting the body from disease, liver cells death , yellowing the skin, cirrhosis of the liver cells, nerve damage .
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights confirms in one of the studies entitled "The residents of the Gaza Strip and the right of access to adequate food" the reality and quality of food safety in light of the blockade on the Gaza Strip in 2010. The study confirms the existence of corruption caused to agricultural products, especially pesticides used spontaneously by farmers, whether permitted or banned. Farmers do not care about the method of how to use pesticides, the correct amount, the safety period the pesticide risk take to vanish, and be used by consumer in order to prevent causing disastrous effects on the health of citizens .
The center says that pesticides and fertilizers are one of the causes of food contamination. Especially when they are used without agronomist advices, who determine the correct proportions and the result of pesticides and fertilizers excessive use. Many of those pesticides have a lot of damage to the environment; it remains in the soil for a long time. Some of them leak into the groundwater, then to drinking water, and thus contaminating it.
The study says: " The use of high concentrations of these pesticides kill beneficial insects, some plants absorb part of these pesticides, then it is transmitted to the animals, it appears in their meat and milk, then move on to humans. This in turn causes poisoning among individuals. The study also confirms that the improper use of pesticides adversely affect the health of citizens. It causes diseases such as: leukemia, breast cancer, prostate and congenital malformations"
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights calls for monitoring the process of pesticides entry through the tunnels. In addition to a tighter control of farmers, especially in their use of pesticides.
Dr. Yasser Al-Nahall professor at the Faculty of Science at the Islamic University says that there is a big risk from the use of pesticides in Gaza Strip as there are no devices to examine the residue of such pesticides in vegetables, soil, and groundwater. He pointed to a previous study he and a number of specialists conducted three years ago. The study showed the presence of concentrations of pesticide residues in tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers in the Gaza Strip. These residues are less than the allowed limit by the World Health Organization, but it is still has the ability to accumulate in the human body for many years, then appearing as diseases such as infertility and cancer types.
He adds that the Ministry of Agriculture has developed controls for the use of pesticides, yet it did not prevent farmers from non-compliance with necessary safety periods to prevent the transmission of diseases.
In turn, the director of health promotion and education at the Ministry of Health Dr. Moeen Al-Kareeri confirms that the misuse of pesticides leads to diseases. The pesticide residues are stored and fat soluble for many years in the human body, then it shows late symptoms. The Ministry of Health few years ago conducted an awareness campaign to reduce the effects of severe damage of pesticides by educating farmers to adhere to safety periods.
The environmental expert and director of the Department of Environmental Health at the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Dr. Fouad Aljmasi confirms a number of poisoning cases entering hospitals because of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile there is no laboratory that can determine the type of insecticide used.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights report which was released in September / September 2012 shows that the number of cancer patients in the Gaza Strip reached 10780 patients, in the year 1995 to 2010. The Recent years have witnessed consecutive increases in the proportions of Palestinian deaths resulted from cancer. In 2012 a rate of 13.7 % of the total deaths, after it had been in 2011 ( 12.4 % ) , while it was( 10.8% ) in the year 2010. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The report of the World Health Organization shows that there are 200,000 death cases per year, die as a result of pesticide poisoning, according to a scientific study by Dr. Salwa Degaim "an expert pesticide residues and risk analysis".
In turn, the health ministry said that the Palestinian cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases that affect the community. It was the second cause of death in Palestine in 2011 and 2012, after heart disease and blood vessels.
The ministry said in a press statement on the occasion of the World Day for cancer that new cancer cases reported in the year 2012 has seen an increase of 20% compared with the number of new cases reported in 2011.
The World Health Organization diagnosed 14 million cases with cancer in the world in 2012; eight million deaths were recorded in the same year due to cancer.
Specialists in infertility and obstetrics treatment reveals a significant increase in the number of infertile couples, specially young men in the provinces of Gaza.
Dr. Maher Ajjour Confirms that the increase proportion of infertility is due to several reasons, including the misuse of pesticides sprayed on crops and vegetables.
Neglecting and justification
The disruption device hblc that examine pesticide residues in the Gaza Strip, and the refusal of Israel to allow other devices seems a good justification for inaction and neglect by the Ministry of Agriculture. On the other hand it is doubted when exported vegetables and some kinds of fruits are examined in outside laboratories in Israel. Why the ministry does do those tests on vegetables and fruits to maintain the health of the citizens ? ! ! !
The Engineer Mohammed Al-Gubn calls the Ministry of Agriculture to conduct periodic surveys on fruits and vegetables to make sure that it is free of pesticide residues pathogenic, referring that the cost of the examination on the vegetables in the Israeli laboratory is up to 650 shekels per each one.
The previous director of the Department of pesticides and laboratories in the Ministry of Agriculture Ahmed Abu Musameh confirms that the Ministry of Agriculture will not be able to examine pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits, unless they complete the pesticides laboratory. This can be achieved through Qatar grant which will provide scanners residues. He says that at the present time, we do not know whether farmers are committed to the required safety because diseases are not spread.
He accused the Israeli occupation forces as it is responsible for the inability of the Ministry of Agriculture to examine the vegetables and fruits, as it doesn't allow the ministry to obtain the required Agricultural laboratory. Also it did not allow the reform of the inactivated testing laborite which is not working several years ago, pointing out that it was sent to Egypt since a year yet it haven't been repaired.
He says that entering pesticide needs special permissions from the Ministry of Agriculture and there are restricted pesticides used under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture while others are prohibited.
Abu Mussameh adds that 240 insecticide materials are imported, while banned pesticides are prevented by the ministry. Pointing out that all pesticides are toxic and it affects health if it is not used properly. The farmer is committed to safety period described on the packaging only when the vegetables are cheap.
Abu Mussameh denies the existence of banned pesticides that are entered through the ministry and sold in the markets. He recognized that the banned pesticides are smuggled to the market.
He says that the failure to instruct, monitor and control farmers is shared between the ministry and the farmers. The Ministry of Agriculture is accused due to lack of possibilities of cars, etc., yet, we are watching shops, traders, and importers.
Abu Mussameh confirms that pesticides are one of the factors that spread cancer and other diseases. He says: we cannot deny that pesticides cause cancers, but is one of the factors. There are 19 banned pesticides Tmik is one of them.
The previous Ministry Assistant of natural recourses at the Agricultural Ministry Saleh Bakhit justifies the farmers misused to pesticide is due to the role of the Ministry of Agriculture in controlling farmers, as it is a supervising role and not a controlling one. He says we control the shops and importers.
He adds the role of the Ministry of Agriculture is to impose censorship on the agricultural product, and this needs devices. We had only one device and it is not working. It was sent to Egypt to be repaired due to Israel's refusal to repair it, now we're going to bring the device again and measure pesticide residues and thus guide people to buy food or not.
He also justifies the farmers complaint not to pursue agronomists, by the few number of agronomists which is not enough, in addition to the lack of supply of new cars to get to the farmers' land , there are five or six cars entered to the ministry through Egypt but it is also not enough as he claims.
He says we compensate our weak performance through holding workshops to educate farmers about the use of pesticides. He indicates that the decline in the operating budget of the ministry, that reached in 2014 to two million shekels and 700 thousand shekels, makes it difficult to conduct periodic surveys on the vegetables and fruits due to it's high cost.
Until the Ministry of Agriculture wakes up from its coma that lead it to stand behind the farmers corruption and neglect, citizens should take precautions to reduce pesticide residues and risks, including washing fresh vegetables and fruits very good with water before eating, peeling and cooking whenever possible, removing fat parts of the meat before cooking, and diverse the daily diet.
A special budget must be approved to conduct programs for testing pesticides residues in food offered for consumption. Legislation must set to provide consumer protection from misuse of pesticides. Promote awareness and educate consumer of the dangers, protection, and reduce the use of pesticides, and encourage the use of new environmental friendly pesticides.
Israel slow murders our people and prevents the entry of pesticide scanners residues in vegetables and fruits.
Scientific studies, human rights organizations, and specialists confirm the lack of commitment by farmers to safety pesticides periods.
Gaza Cultivation.. No budget, weak performance in controlling the farmers, accepting justification without sufficient solutions.
PNN Exclusive/ Report by Hassan Dohan
In his thirteen Acers land at Amer neighborhood in the east of Rafah lived Ahmad in his farm. Ahmed used to oversees his workers while picking the tomatoes, cucumbers, even though it did not pass the required time for the erosion of the toxins left by pesticides that sprayed the vegetable seedlings.
On the other hand Ahmad neglected the agronomists and the specialist's directions. They guide farmers to wait from 70- 90 days after spraying vegetables with poison pesticide " Nemacur ", so that they can reap the fruits and ensure the safety transmission of these toxins to humans. Ahmed did not consider these instructions, he instructs his farmers to harvest the fruit early and sold it to dealers, who in turn sell them to citizens while it is still carrying toxin and pesticides that have been sprayed with.
Farmers in the Gaza Strip use hundreds types of allowed or banned pesticides. They spray their crops to control insects, worms and accelerate the ripening of fruits. All this is done without any control by the Ministry of Agriculture who supervises the agricultural sector causing a real threat to human health.
The farmer tried to evade answering the question of his commitment to the safety required periods after spraying, saying, "When we lose no one recognizes us, and we know that there is a risk but it's not a big deal. On the other hand the costs of agriculture is very expensive and no one support us", He also complained from the absence of the agricultural engineers or specialists of the Ministry of Agriculture who never visit, or guide him of the best ways of using pesticides.
The farmer Ahmed, who requested to deny his full name to avoid any prosecution, said that he buys some pesticides such as pesticide Nemacur after obtaining special permission from the Ministry of Agriculture, without any supervision by the ministry or assurance if the pesticide meets the required safety conditions.
Farmer Hammad Al-Dbari 50 years confirms that farmers grow part of vegetables in their land without spraying it, to be used only by them and their families so as not to be susceptible to diseases caused by these pesticides. This is also confirmed by Al- Mezan Center for Human Rights in a previous study. The study confirms that some farmers cultivate parts of their land only for their diet, while the other parts are cultivated for the citizens. Farmers don't care when cultivating for citizens about the appropriate use of pesticides.
The Israeli occupation forces prevented farmer Al-Dbari of cultivating his land because it is located next to east Rafah border, as a reason he works for other farmers to provide his children living.
The agricultural land area in the Gaza Strip is about 150 thousand acres 75 thousand acres of which are planted with vegetables. It produces annually more than 300 tons of vegetables. There are 48 thousand people working within the agricultural sector, most of them are farmers.
Pesticides are considered poison; most of it are nervous toxins such as phosphorus and carbamates pesticides aggregates.
The pesticide effect depends on a number of factors, most importantly is the dose and time relation. It is divided into Insecticide, fungicide pesticides and others.
The farmer Mohammed Dahdouh who owns eight acres in the area of Sheikh Ejlien in Gaza which is planted in cucumber and squash indicates that he uses a number of pesticides, including pesticide Nemacur two days before planting, he also sprayed the squash every week with the white powdery Mildew, reddish, spider pesticides.
Although the allowed safety pesticides normal period is three days to one week, to ensure no residues of those pesticides in vegetables, yet the farmers rush to harvest and reap the fruits only after one day from spraying the pesticide Al-Aufeer.
He adds we use Nemacur and Confidor pesticide in most grown crops. Medicine is placed before a day or two of planting a seedling, with a safety period of three months so that the residues of toxins are faded from the fruits.
The pesticide residues in vegetables, trees, soil and groundwater, are a major threat to the consumer health, whether it is used as human food or animal feed.
The farmer Khalil Zourob who oversees the cultivation of 30 Acers in Khan Younis says: "We use many types of pesticides such as Nemacur and Confidor and Marshall and Dberon, all types are needed for seedlings vegetables because it has some diseases so we splash it by pesticides, but he has no information about the required safety period which he has to be committed to, to ensure the erosion of pesticide residues of vegetables before harvesting it.
Zourob confirms that the pesticides prices are very expensive, while the vegetables prices are inappropriate for the farmers, he says:" our land is planted with potatoes, watermelons, but the Agriculture Ministry is not interested in guiding farmers, and we are exposed to big losses and no one gives us anything.
The aim of using pesticides such as Nemacur is to sterilize the soil, accelerate the growth of the seedling, and eradication of diseases. These diseases affect the soil due to the adoption of the continuous vertical agriculture in Gaza Strip throughout the year without any respite period as a result of the lack of agricultural land.
The area of the Gaza Strip is, 365 square kilometers , with a population of ( 1.850 ) million, It is considered as one of the world's most populous area, which in turn contributed to the shrinking area of the agricultural land due to the urbanization that reached 40 % of the strip area -as mentioned by the Previous Ministry of Agriculture.
The vegetables dealer Fathi Al-Nada confirms that farmers do not adhere to safety periods required for the use of pesticides. For example when tomatoes prices are high, farmers picked it before it is reaped and become normal, but they put on redness pesticides to reap before it's time.
AL-Nada Illustrates that the Ministry of Agriculture deals with the complaints, but there is no strict control. He says things are chaos in the agricultural sector. What really matters farmers is the profit. Therefore in the case of high prices farmers use pesticides to accelerate and reap the fruits, while, when the prices are cheap, Farmers are committed to safety periods as written on the pesticide instructions.
No censorship
At his farm which is ten acres Near Sheikh Ejleen in Gaza, planted with cabbage, squash, complains farmer Saadi Shamllakh 64 years of lack of control or supervision by the Ministry of Agriculture. He confirmed that none of the ministry agronomists supervise or monitor the crops, stressing that they haven't visited him since more than one year.
He says: we also face some problems in the grape crops in terms of the higher prices of pesticides, as well as it start to have no effect as before accusing traders of manipulating the composition of some pesticides.
Farmers are suffering from high prices of fertilizers, pesticides, gas pipelines dedicated to enriching the soil, and the spread of diseases and insects, as a result of the weather vagaries and the increased types of harmful insects. This in turn requires more care and purchasing additional pesticides and this doubles the cost of agriculture.
The farmer Mohammed AL-Malahi aged 38 years says that the pesticide Nemacur is one of the most dangerous pesticides as it causes cancer. Unfortunately the Ministry of Agriculture is the one who gives this pesticide for some farmers who are selling and profiting from it.
Some farmers indicates the presence of banned pesticides sold in stores without any oversight from the Ministry of Agriculture , such as the dangerous pesticide Altmik that he purchased from one of the shops fertilizers without any reservation. It is a poison for rodents and is used for watermelon and cantaloupe, which causes kidney failure and cancerous tumors in humans.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights confirms in one of the latest study that some traders provide a number of pesticides types through the tunnels, some of which are corrupt and tainted. They change the label on the package and replace it. For example, by another Israeli product this causes a negative impact on the proper use of this pesticide. There is a big difference in the quality and concentration of these pesticides, which in turn negatively affect citizens' health.
The Chairman of Al-Mawasi Agricultural Cooperative Assembly Rafah Mr. Fareed Saidam confirms that only 20% farmers are committed to the safe use of pesticides. This may result due to the absence of control or awareness guidance to farmers neglecting the serious danger of these pesticides on citizen's health. He says that some pesticides are a direct cause of cancer, especially Nemacur, Confidor, and Temik , pointing to the lack of screening devices at the Ministry of Agriculture to check if the produced and sold vegetables or fruits contain residues of Toxic pesticides .
Saidam explains that the Israelis returns export vegetables or fruits when they receive it and discover the presence of pesticide residues in it due to in commitment by farmers to safety period. He confirms that the banned pesticides such as Temik which farmers use on melon and cucumber are sold without any observation on merchant. As a result we hear about cases of poisoning due to eating this product.
He also says that zucchini in the summer can't grow up successfully unless they use confidor pesticide, which is dangerous on human health. Mr. Fareed calls to support farmers and reduce the use of pesticides. He aims that it can be daily under the Ministry of Agriculture agronomist's supervision. He also wishes that they can bring the necessary equipment for testing. He adds that the Nevall gas is used to sterilize the land and the price of the tube that weight 50 kg is 5000 NIS. In addition many countries have banned its use and replaced this gas by the heat sterilization.
Saidam adds that the Ministry of Agriculture is supposed to monitor and conduct periodically tests on samples of vegetables and fruits in Israel or Egypt, stressing that the causes of cancer, are mostly from food, especially vegetables.
The director of Agricultural Cooperative Association in Beit Lahiya, Engineer Mohamed Ghaban that there is a big problem relating from the inability of laboratories sector which fail to examine pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. Exporters, including strawberries exporters pay to perform these tests in the Israel. These tests are required to assure the products safety of pesticide residues and it is not harmful to human health.
He says that the number of farmers who have an international quality certificate is 212 strawberry farmers. 60 out of 48 thousand workers in the agriculture sector.
The number of workers in Gaza Government \Ministry of Agriculture is 330 employees, including 125 agricultural engineer. Most of them suffer from lack of possibilities and means of transportation, to possess their supervision and control farmers. Another obstacle is the decline in the Ministry's budget from six million and 200000 shekels to 4. Million and 200000 shekels, to reach in 2014 two million and700 thousand shekels due to the policy of austerity. The agricultural production in the national income is about 6.7 % in the Gaza Strip alone. 18 % in Palestine, as mentioned by the previous Ministry Assistant of natural recourses at the Agricultural Ministry Saleh Bakhit .
Diseases and damages
Different scientific studies emphasizes that pesticide residues in fruits, vegetables, soil, and water causes many health risks, some of which are infertility, miscarriage, influence on the ability to produce healthy embryos, the production of cancerous tumors in the living tissue of the animal, poisoning the nervous system, including the brain, disrupt the natural response of the immune system which is responsible for protecting the body from disease, liver cells death , yellowing the skin, cirrhosis of the liver cells, nerve damage .
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights confirms in one of the studies entitled "The residents of the Gaza Strip and the right of access to adequate food" the reality and quality of food safety in light of the blockade on the Gaza Strip in 2010. The study confirms the existence of corruption caused to agricultural products, especially pesticides used spontaneously by farmers, whether permitted or banned. Farmers do not care about the method of how to use pesticides, the correct amount, the safety period the pesticide risk take to vanish, and be used by consumer in order to prevent causing disastrous effects on the health of citizens .
The center says that pesticides and fertilizers are one of the causes of food contamination. Especially when they are used without agronomist advices, who determine the correct proportions and the result of pesticides and fertilizers excessive use. Many of those pesticides have a lot of damage to the environment; it remains in the soil for a long time. Some of them leak into the groundwater, then to drinking water, and thus contaminating it.
The study says: " The use of high concentrations of these pesticides kill beneficial insects, some plants absorb part of these pesticides, then it is transmitted to the animals, it appears in their meat and milk, then move on to humans. This in turn causes poisoning among individuals. The study also confirms that the improper use of pesticides adversely affect the health of citizens. It causes diseases such as: leukemia, breast cancer, prostate and congenital malformations"
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights calls for monitoring the process of pesticides entry through the tunnels. In addition to a tighter control of farmers, especially in their use of pesticides.
Dr. Yasser Al-Nahall professor at the Faculty of Science at the Islamic University says that there is a big risk from the use of pesticides in Gaza Strip as there are no devices to examine the residue of such pesticides in vegetables, soil, and groundwater. He pointed to a previous study he and a number of specialists conducted three years ago. The study showed the presence of concentrations of pesticide residues in tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers in the Gaza Strip. These residues are less than the allowed limit by the World Health Organization, but it is still has the ability to accumulate in the human body for many years, then appearing as diseases such as infertility and cancer types.
He adds that the Ministry of Agriculture has developed controls for the use of pesticides, yet it did not prevent farmers from non-compliance with necessary safety periods to prevent the transmission of diseases.
In turn, the director of health promotion and education at the Ministry of Health Dr. Moeen Al-Kareeri confirms that the misuse of pesticides leads to diseases. The pesticide residues are stored and fat soluble for many years in the human body, then it shows late symptoms. The Ministry of Health few years ago conducted an awareness campaign to reduce the effects of severe damage of pesticides by educating farmers to adhere to safety periods.
The environmental expert and director of the Department of Environmental Health at the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Dr. Fouad Aljmasi confirms a number of poisoning cases entering hospitals because of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile there is no laboratory that can determine the type of insecticide used.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights report which was released in September / September 2012 shows that the number of cancer patients in the Gaza Strip reached 10780 patients, in the year 1995 to 2010. The Recent years have witnessed consecutive increases in the proportions of Palestinian deaths resulted from cancer. In 2012 a rate of 13.7 % of the total deaths, after it had been in 2011 ( 12.4 % ) , while it was( 10.8% ) in the year 2010. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The report of the World Health Organization shows that there are 200,000 death cases per year, die as a result of pesticide poisoning, according to a scientific study by Dr. Salwa Degaim "an expert pesticide residues and risk analysis".
In turn, the health ministry said that the Palestinian cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases that affect the community. It was the second cause of death in Palestine in 2011 and 2012, after heart disease and blood vessels.
The ministry said in a press statement on the occasion of the World Day for cancer that new cancer cases reported in the year 2012 has seen an increase of 20% compared with the number of new cases reported in 2011.
The World Health Organization diagnosed 14 million cases with cancer in the world in 2012; eight million deaths were recorded in the same year due to cancer.
Specialists in infertility and obstetrics treatment reveals a significant increase in the number of infertile couples, specially young men in the provinces of Gaza.
Dr. Maher Ajjour Confirms that the increase proportion of infertility is due to several reasons, including the misuse of pesticides sprayed on crops and vegetables.
Neglecting and justification
The disruption device hblc that examine pesticide residues in the Gaza Strip, and the refusal of Israel to allow other devices seems a good justification for inaction and neglect by the Ministry of Agriculture. On the other hand it is doubted when exported vegetables and some kinds of fruits are examined in outside laboratories in Israel. Why the ministry does do those tests on vegetables and fruits to maintain the health of the citizens ? ! ! !
The Engineer Mohammed Al-Gubn calls the Ministry of Agriculture to conduct periodic surveys on fruits and vegetables to make sure that it is free of pesticide residues pathogenic, referring that the cost of the examination on the vegetables in the Israeli laboratory is up to 650 shekels per each one.
The previous director of the Department of pesticides and laboratories in the Ministry of Agriculture Ahmed Abu Musameh confirms that the Ministry of Agriculture will not be able to examine pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits, unless they complete the pesticides laboratory. This can be achieved through Qatar grant which will provide scanners residues. He says that at the present time, we do not know whether farmers are committed to the required safety because diseases are not spread.
He accused the Israeli occupation forces as it is responsible for the inability of the Ministry of Agriculture to examine the vegetables and fruits, as it doesn't allow the ministry to obtain the required Agricultural laboratory. Also it did not allow the reform of the inactivated testing laborite which is not working several years ago, pointing out that it was sent to Egypt since a year yet it haven't been repaired.
He says that entering pesticide needs special permissions from the Ministry of Agriculture and there are restricted pesticides used under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture while others are prohibited.
Abu Mussameh adds that 240 insecticide materials are imported, while banned pesticides are prevented by the ministry. Pointing out that all pesticides are toxic and it affects health if it is not used properly. The farmer is committed to safety period described on the packaging only when the vegetables are cheap.
Abu Mussameh denies the existence of banned pesticides that are entered through the ministry and sold in the markets. He recognized that the banned pesticides are smuggled to the market.
He says that the failure to instruct, monitor and control farmers is shared between the ministry and the farmers. The Ministry of Agriculture is accused due to lack of possibilities of cars, etc., yet, we are watching shops, traders, and importers.
Abu Mussameh confirms that pesticides are one of the factors that spread cancer and other diseases. He says: we cannot deny that pesticides cause cancers, but is one of the factors. There are 19 banned pesticides Tmik is one of them.
The previous Ministry Assistant of natural recourses at the Agricultural Ministry Saleh Bakhit justifies the farmers misused to pesticide is due to the role of the Ministry of Agriculture in controlling farmers, as it is a supervising role and not a controlling one. He says we control the shops and importers.
He adds the role of the Ministry of Agriculture is to impose censorship on the agricultural product, and this needs devices. We had only one device and it is not working. It was sent to Egypt to be repaired due to Israel's refusal to repair it, now we're going to bring the device again and measure pesticide residues and thus guide people to buy food or not.
He also justifies the farmers complaint not to pursue agronomists, by the few number of agronomists which is not enough, in addition to the lack of supply of new cars to get to the farmers' land , there are five or six cars entered to the ministry through Egypt but it is also not enough as he claims.
He says we compensate our weak performance through holding workshops to educate farmers about the use of pesticides. He indicates that the decline in the operating budget of the ministry, that reached in 2014 to two million shekels and 700 thousand shekels, makes it difficult to conduct periodic surveys on the vegetables and fruits due to it's high cost.
Until the Ministry of Agriculture wakes up from its coma that lead it to stand behind the farmers corruption and neglect, citizens should take precautions to reduce pesticide residues and risks, including washing fresh vegetables and fruits very good with water before eating, peeling and cooking whenever possible, removing fat parts of the meat before cooking, and diverse the daily diet.
A special budget must be approved to conduct programs for testing pesticides residues in food offered for consumption. Legislation must set to provide consumer protection from misuse of pesticides. Promote awareness and educate consumer of the dangers, protection, and reduce the use of pesticides, and encourage the use of new environmental friendly pesticides.
11 mar 2014
Qatari informed sources revealed that Doha has been making strenuous efforts to ensure the entry of necessary aid and fuel to Gaza so that the electricity could reach the vital institutions, especially hospitals and intensive care units. The sources pointed out that Qatar is committed to its pledges to help the Palestinian people, in spite of the difficulties to reach Gaza because of the blockade imposed by the Israeli and Egyptian authorities.
"Qatar has announced that it will not abandon the Palestinian people and their cause. Unfortunately there are difficulties in reaching Gaza due to the siege; but Qatar is striving, through its international relations, to find a way out to deliver aid to the Palestinians so that vital institutions will continue working", the sources said.
They added that Qatar has no intention to ask the help of the Egyptian authorities, but will try through its international relations to convince the relevant parties to enable the Palestinians in Gaza to get these aids.
The former Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said that his country will never change its position towards the Palestinian people and will continue to support it.
This came during a telephone call between the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneyya in Gaza and the former Emir on Monday afternoon.
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said that his son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, Emir of Qatar, will continue to implement projects in Gaza.
Haneyya praised and thanked Qatar's leadership and people for their ongoing support to the besieged people in Gaza, stressing that his government will continue to adhere to the Palestinian constants and rights.
He also pointed out that the government has continued to implement the housing and infrastructure projects with the support of Qatar, stressing that such positions strengthen the steadfastness of the Palestinian people.
"Qatar has announced that it will not abandon the Palestinian people and their cause. Unfortunately there are difficulties in reaching Gaza due to the siege; but Qatar is striving, through its international relations, to find a way out to deliver aid to the Palestinians so that vital institutions will continue working", the sources said.
They added that Qatar has no intention to ask the help of the Egyptian authorities, but will try through its international relations to convince the relevant parties to enable the Palestinians in Gaza to get these aids.
The former Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said that his country will never change its position towards the Palestinian people and will continue to support it.
This came during a telephone call between the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneyya in Gaza and the former Emir on Monday afternoon.
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said that his son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, Emir of Qatar, will continue to implement projects in Gaza.
Haneyya praised and thanked Qatar's leadership and people for their ongoing support to the besieged people in Gaza, stressing that his government will continue to adhere to the Palestinian constants and rights.
He also pointed out that the government has continued to implement the housing and infrastructure projects with the support of Qatar, stressing that such positions strengthen the steadfastness of the Palestinian people.
10 mar 2014
Palestinian presidency Monday praised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for fulfilling its financial commitments towards the people of Palestine. A statement by the presidency said: “the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has completely transferred its share [of financial support to Palestine] in line with the resolutions of the Arab summits regarding the provision of a safety net and supporting Palestine’s budget,” adding: “This includes the additional amounts given at the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.”
The presidency expressed sincere thanks to His Majesty, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, for his country’s support of the Palestinian issue and people at the all political and economic levels.
The presidency expressed sincere thanks to His Majesty, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, for his country’s support of the Palestinian issue and people at the all political and economic levels.
Palestinan Police Service has hunted down three robbers of a post office in central Gaza City six hours after the crime. The police spokesman confirmed to ALRAY that the robbers were tranferred to the Jawazat police compound in Gaza City.
The doers managed to sneaked into the office from the back, where a cemetery borders the office building, and shacked the office clerk and guard, local sources said earlier.
The incident happened just two days ahead of the scheduled date for receiving the salaries of the government employees.
Witnesses said the police rushed to the theft spot and started investigation.
The 46,000 employees of Gaza are have not been paid in full over the past four months.
Finance Minister, Ziad al-Zaza, says the government needs $45 million per month in payroll and operating expenses, but only $31 million is currently available.
The doers managed to sneaked into the office from the back, where a cemetery borders the office building, and shacked the office clerk and guard, local sources said earlier.
The incident happened just two days ahead of the scheduled date for receiving the salaries of the government employees.
Witnesses said the police rushed to the theft spot and started investigation.
The 46,000 employees of Gaza are have not been paid in full over the past four months.
Finance Minister, Ziad al-Zaza, says the government needs $45 million per month in payroll and operating expenses, but only $31 million is currently available.
Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya expressed his deep appreciation to the leadership of Qatar and its people for their ongoing support at all levels for the besieged Gaza Strip. This came during a telephone conversation on Sunday with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Premier Haneyya hailed the leadership of Qatar for its noble positions towards and its generous support for the occupied Palestinian people in particular, and the Arab and Muslim nations in general.
The premier briefed Sheikh Tamim on the progress of the Qatari-funded construction projects in Gaza and the efforts made by his government to overcome the obstacles, imposed by the besieging parties, and finish them as soon as possible.
The premier stated over the phone that the Palestinian leadership in Gaza would remain upholding its inalienable national positions and continuing its battle against the Israeli occupation until the liberation of Palestine and its prisoners, and the return of all refugees to their homes.
For his part, Sheikh Tamim reassured Haneyya that Qatar would remain a strong supporter for Gaza and Palestine and never change its just positions towards the Palestinian cause and the besieged people in Gaza.
"We were raised on such principles, which we will never deviate from and will raise our children upon them," the emir of Qatar stressed.
Premier Haneyya hailed the leadership of Qatar for its noble positions towards and its generous support for the occupied Palestinian people in particular, and the Arab and Muslim nations in general.
The premier briefed Sheikh Tamim on the progress of the Qatari-funded construction projects in Gaza and the efforts made by his government to overcome the obstacles, imposed by the besieging parties, and finish them as soon as possible.
The premier stated over the phone that the Palestinian leadership in Gaza would remain upholding its inalienable national positions and continuing its battle against the Israeli occupation until the liberation of Palestine and its prisoners, and the return of all refugees to their homes.
For his part, Sheikh Tamim reassured Haneyya that Qatar would remain a strong supporter for Gaza and Palestine and never change its just positions towards the Palestinian cause and the besieged people in Gaza.
"We were raised on such principles, which we will never deviate from and will raise our children upon them," the emir of Qatar stressed.
9 mar 2014
Over 100 people attended a major conference in Prague this weekend to discuss an economic initiative designed to bring about transformative change and substantial growth in the Palestinian economy and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.
The Initiative for the Palestinian Economy (IPE) is an ambitious, multi-year plan drafted by a team of policy advisors, external economic analysts and international domain experts under the leadership of Quartet Representative Tony Blair in support of renewed Palestinian-Israeli political negotiations.
Quartet Representative Tony Blair and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright co-chaired the event. The conference was convened by the Aspen Institute, Partners for a New Beginning, the Office of the Quartet Representative, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Middle East Commercial Center, and UCLA's Center for Mideast Development.
Speaking at Saturday's opening event, Tony Blair said that the potential of the Palestinian economy is enormous. He explained that the initiative goes into "granular detail" that "sets out what we need from the private sector, the international financial institutions, and the governments" of Israel and the Palestinians. He added that what is now needed are measures that "improve not just the economy in the most basic sense, but also the economy in the sense that people feel that Palestinian statehood can become a reality because they see around them the developments within the Palestinian territories that are consistent with statehood." He explained that the initiative is "not just about improving GDP and jobs, but also about removing restrictions, giving businesses a greater ability to be entrepreneurial, and for the Palestinian Authority to be in a situation that it can run its own affairs."
Albright Stonebridge Group Chair Madeleine Albright told participants: "To give you all an idea of why we're here, less than a year ago, Partners for a New Beginning had a meeting with Secretary Kerry about our work and what we could do to support investment in the Palestinian private sector, given its priority. His message to us was clear: work with Blair and the Quartet, and work with the Palestinians. And so, in the past six months, PNB has redoubled its efforts to align priorities with Tony [Blair] and his team under the banner of the Initiative for the Palestinian Economy, working alongside the Palestinian public sector and business community to drive investment in high growth sectors outlined by the IPE."
Deputy Palestinian Prime Minister Dr. Mohammed Mustafa told participants: "The exercise today is first and foremost the story of the Palestinian economy, specifically about the unrealized potential of this economy. We have all the ingredients of a very successful and prosperous economy." He discussed the "difficult and challenging conditions on the ground in the absence of independence," and said the delegates had "our full commitment to work with you as a serious, committed partner, to make sure this vision is implemented and the economic benefits are realized."
Following welcome remarks by U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic Norman Eisen, Aspen Institute President and CEO, Walter Isaacson, moderated a roundtable discussion between Dr Mustafa, Mr Blair and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Anne Patterson on the potential benefits of the IPE. Participants heard that the plan focuses on catalyzing private sector-led growth in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, and covers eight key economic sectors: construction, building materials, agriculture, tourism, information and communication technology, energy, water, and light manufacturing.
Blair explained that the initiative is a complementary process to the political negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), led by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and is not a substitute.
The Prague event brought together international businesspeople, investors, financiers, Palestinian Authority officials, and key figures in the Palestinian private sector for the first conference dedicated to this major international initiative to boost the Palestinian economy.
Among the international organizations present were Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, Honeywell, Morgan Stanley, General Electric, Cisco and OPIC, the U.S. Government's development finance institution.
Plenary sessions looked at cross-cutting issues such as investment challenges and opportunities, as well as risk mitigation. A session on the construction sector discussed critical infrastructure and urban development investments, as well as plans that will underpin and help sustain growth in the Palestinian economy. Focused breakout sessions brought together Palestinian businesses with potential international investors for in-depth discussions on sectors such as information and communications technologies, tourism and agriculture.
The Initiative for the Palestinian Economy (IPE) is an ambitious, multi-year plan drafted by a team of policy advisors, external economic analysts and international domain experts under the leadership of Quartet Representative Tony Blair in support of renewed Palestinian-Israeli political negotiations.
Quartet Representative Tony Blair and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright co-chaired the event. The conference was convened by the Aspen Institute, Partners for a New Beginning, the Office of the Quartet Representative, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Middle East Commercial Center, and UCLA's Center for Mideast Development.
Speaking at Saturday's opening event, Tony Blair said that the potential of the Palestinian economy is enormous. He explained that the initiative goes into "granular detail" that "sets out what we need from the private sector, the international financial institutions, and the governments" of Israel and the Palestinians. He added that what is now needed are measures that "improve not just the economy in the most basic sense, but also the economy in the sense that people feel that Palestinian statehood can become a reality because they see around them the developments within the Palestinian territories that are consistent with statehood." He explained that the initiative is "not just about improving GDP and jobs, but also about removing restrictions, giving businesses a greater ability to be entrepreneurial, and for the Palestinian Authority to be in a situation that it can run its own affairs."
Albright Stonebridge Group Chair Madeleine Albright told participants: "To give you all an idea of why we're here, less than a year ago, Partners for a New Beginning had a meeting with Secretary Kerry about our work and what we could do to support investment in the Palestinian private sector, given its priority. His message to us was clear: work with Blair and the Quartet, and work with the Palestinians. And so, in the past six months, PNB has redoubled its efforts to align priorities with Tony [Blair] and his team under the banner of the Initiative for the Palestinian Economy, working alongside the Palestinian public sector and business community to drive investment in high growth sectors outlined by the IPE."
Deputy Palestinian Prime Minister Dr. Mohammed Mustafa told participants: "The exercise today is first and foremost the story of the Palestinian economy, specifically about the unrealized potential of this economy. We have all the ingredients of a very successful and prosperous economy." He discussed the "difficult and challenging conditions on the ground in the absence of independence," and said the delegates had "our full commitment to work with you as a serious, committed partner, to make sure this vision is implemented and the economic benefits are realized."
Following welcome remarks by U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic Norman Eisen, Aspen Institute President and CEO, Walter Isaacson, moderated a roundtable discussion between Dr Mustafa, Mr Blair and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Anne Patterson on the potential benefits of the IPE. Participants heard that the plan focuses on catalyzing private sector-led growth in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, and covers eight key economic sectors: construction, building materials, agriculture, tourism, information and communication technology, energy, water, and light manufacturing.
Blair explained that the initiative is a complementary process to the political negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), led by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and is not a substitute.
The Prague event brought together international businesspeople, investors, financiers, Palestinian Authority officials, and key figures in the Palestinian private sector for the first conference dedicated to this major international initiative to boost the Palestinian economy.
Among the international organizations present were Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, Honeywell, Morgan Stanley, General Electric, Cisco and OPIC, the U.S. Government's development finance institution.
Plenary sessions looked at cross-cutting issues such as investment challenges and opportunities, as well as risk mitigation. A session on the construction sector discussed critical infrastructure and urban development investments, as well as plans that will underpin and help sustain growth in the Palestinian economy. Focused breakout sessions brought together Palestinian businesses with potential international investors for in-depth discussions on sectors such as information and communications technologies, tourism and agriculture.
Deputy Head of Energy Authority Fathi Hammad during Sunday conference
A government official warned that the power plant in Gaza may stop working in days as the fuel grant donated by Qatar is about to run out.
Deputy Head of Energy Authority Fathi Hammad Sunday said in a press conference that “Gaza would return to six hours of electricity schedule if Palestinian Authority continues to levy value added tax on the imported fuel,”
Five days left for the fuel to finish up, Hammad added, explaining that Qatar has remitted funds worth $32 million during the past four months as a tax on the diesel fuel bought from Israel .
He pointed out that he contacted with the Head of Energy Authority in Ramallah asking him to stop to collect the imposed tax for six or 12 months until the authority in Gaza gets the necessary funds.
called on the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah to revoke the tax on the fuel imports and consider the tightened blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip.
On December 15, 2013, Gaza's lone power plant stirred to life following seven weeks of stopping, allowing for only six hours of electricity supplied from Israel via cables.
The plant provides some 30 percent of the coastal enclave's electricity needs, generating around 60 megawatts of electricity.
As the Egyptian military had destroyed about 80% of the cross-border tunnels as from July 2013, Gaza reeled from lack of fuel used for the power plant to generate electricity.
A government official warned that the power plant in Gaza may stop working in days as the fuel grant donated by Qatar is about to run out.
Deputy Head of Energy Authority Fathi Hammad Sunday said in a press conference that “Gaza would return to six hours of electricity schedule if Palestinian Authority continues to levy value added tax on the imported fuel,”
Five days left for the fuel to finish up, Hammad added, explaining that Qatar has remitted funds worth $32 million during the past four months as a tax on the diesel fuel bought from Israel .
He pointed out that he contacted with the Head of Energy Authority in Ramallah asking him to stop to collect the imposed tax for six or 12 months until the authority in Gaza gets the necessary funds.
called on the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah to revoke the tax on the fuel imports and consider the tightened blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip.
On December 15, 2013, Gaza's lone power plant stirred to life following seven weeks of stopping, allowing for only six hours of electricity supplied from Israel via cables.
The plant provides some 30 percent of the coastal enclave's electricity needs, generating around 60 megawatts of electricity.
As the Egyptian military had destroyed about 80% of the cross-border tunnels as from July 2013, Gaza reeled from lack of fuel used for the power plant to generate electricity.
The last shipment of Qatar-donated diesel -- used to fuel the Gaza Strip's sole power plant -- is expected to run out within four or five days, a Palestinian official said Sunday.
The announcement comes after only around two months of steady electricity in the besieged coastal enclave, which suffers from a severe lack of fuel due to a seven-year-long economic blockade enforced jointly by Israel and Egypt.
Fathi al-Sheikh Khalil, deputy chairperson of the Gaza power authority, told Ma'an Sunday that the Qatari donation had helped operate two generators and made electricity available on the basis of eight hours on, eight hours off.
As the last of the fuel runs out, power availability will be reduced to six hours on, twelve hours off, as before the fuel was donated, Khalil said.
"We asked the Ramallah government to provide Gaza's power plant with tax-free fuel because the money we collect in electricity bills isn't enough to buy fuel to run two generators," he said.
Khalil added that the chairman of the power authority in Ramallah, Omar Kittana, "has been trying to convince the minister of finance to sell Gaza tax-free fuel for a year or half a year."
Qatar donated $10 million to Hamas authorities in Gaza for fuel in the wake of the humanitarian crisis caused by severe weather in the region in December.
But even before winter storm Alexa, Gaza had experienced extreme fuel shortages that cut off access to basic necessities for Gaza residents since early November.
The Gaza Strip has been under a severe economic blockade imposed by Israel since 2006. Although enforcement from the Egyptian side eased following the 2011 revolution, since the July ouster of democratically-elected president Mohamed Morsi military authorities have tightened control.
The blockade has severely limited the imports and exports of the Gaza Strip and has led to frequent humanitarian crises and hardship for Gazans.
The announcement comes after only around two months of steady electricity in the besieged coastal enclave, which suffers from a severe lack of fuel due to a seven-year-long economic blockade enforced jointly by Israel and Egypt.
Fathi al-Sheikh Khalil, deputy chairperson of the Gaza power authority, told Ma'an Sunday that the Qatari donation had helped operate two generators and made electricity available on the basis of eight hours on, eight hours off.
As the last of the fuel runs out, power availability will be reduced to six hours on, twelve hours off, as before the fuel was donated, Khalil said.
"We asked the Ramallah government to provide Gaza's power plant with tax-free fuel because the money we collect in electricity bills isn't enough to buy fuel to run two generators," he said.
Khalil added that the chairman of the power authority in Ramallah, Omar Kittana, "has been trying to convince the minister of finance to sell Gaza tax-free fuel for a year or half a year."
Qatar donated $10 million to Hamas authorities in Gaza for fuel in the wake of the humanitarian crisis caused by severe weather in the region in December.
But even before winter storm Alexa, Gaza had experienced extreme fuel shortages that cut off access to basic necessities for Gaza residents since early November.
The Gaza Strip has been under a severe economic blockade imposed by Israel since 2006. Although enforcement from the Egyptian side eased following the 2011 revolution, since the July ouster of democratically-elected president Mohamed Morsi military authorities have tightened control.
The blockade has severely limited the imports and exports of the Gaza Strip and has led to frequent humanitarian crises and hardship for Gazans.
