ICSPR COMMENDS THE JOINT PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY SEVEN UNITED NATIONS RAPPORTEURS ABOUT HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES CAUSED BY WORSENING ELECTRICITY CRISIS IN GAZA

ICSPR commends the joint press release issued by seven United Nations rapporteurs about humanitarian consequences caused by worsening electricity crisis in Gaza

International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) welcomed the unprecedentedpress release that issued jointly by the special rapporteurs of human right in the occupied Palestinian territories, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context discrimination, Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, and Special Rapporteur on the right to development.

The joint press release which issued on 12 July 2017of the United Nation special rapporteurs expressed the seriousness humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip and deterioration in the provision of basic services, as a result of the electricity crisis, after the occupying power Israel reduce electricity supplies up to 40%to Gaza Strip upon Palestinian Authority request.

The joint release stressed on the effect of exacerbation the electricity crisis in Gaza Strip and the lack of health care life aspects in Gaza Strip, considering that this  matter is a disaster as its associated with lack of health and environmental service, also  they mentioned that the safe drinking water is reducing daily in Gaza Strip, while the untreated sewage is still flowing into the Mediterranean Sea at a rate of 100 million liters daily ,and it may increase groundwater pollution, at the time the agricultural sector suffered from small-scale Irrigation ,which threaten the deterioration of food security if the situation continues, especially that the industrial fuel allowed to enter Gaza Strip by Egypt recently  in order to re-run the only power plant “contributed to alleviate the crisis but it was not a permanent solution.”

The joint release mentioned that after ten years of closures and blockade, currently Gaza Strip is facing the highest unemployment rate around the world, beside of crisis and economic recession retreating toward “de-development”, stressing that Israel as the occupying power controls the entry and exit of goods and people, it carried the responsibility for the deterioration of the situation, as well as it has to fulfill its obligation toward the international law and human right law.

It’s worth to mention that the International Commission to Support Palestinian right (ICSPR) has addressed a number of these rapporteurs through private letters and briefing memorandums about the dangers of deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza Strip, as a result of the current crisis which getting worse day by day, ICSPR also managed a many electronic campaigns to warn from the risk of current circumstances including continuing  Israeli blockade on Gaza Strip, ICSPR also issued an urgent appeal in both Arabic and English  languages which calls on International and Arab intervention and a Palestinian movement to save Gaza Strip that siege ,darkness, pollution, diseases, poverty and unemployment suffocate it, as the humanitarian situation in danger. 

International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (I.C.S.P.R) welcomed the joint press statement by the United Nations Special Rapporteur, stressing on the importance to invite all concerned parties to find a real solution to the electricity crisis in Gaza Strip and stop penalization policy of Gaza resident’s, therefore; ICSPR calls for:

1. ICSPR consider the joint press statement by the United Nations Special Rapporteur, a clear message that the international community refuses any politicization of the Palestinian’s basic right to achieve any political gains.
2. ICSPR urges the United Nations Special Rapporteur to make more efforts in order to find solution immediately to Gaza’s crisis, particularly that the current inhumane conditions such as cutting the electricity for 22 hours a day, that alarming real catastrophe.
3. ICSPR holds the Israeli Occupation the responsibility of providing and ensuring the basic needs of the occupied territories people.
4. ICSPR calls upon the international community represented by all humanitarian organizations, the Arab and Islamic states to intervene and end the electricity crisis in Gaza Strip in every possible means, including making procedures to provide power plant fuel to run as fast as it can, and/or to link Gaza power grid electricity network of eight Arabic, and/or contributing to run natural gas electrical generating station.