Introduction:
This paper showcases facts and figures about the Israeli annexation plan for the occupied Jordan Valley, which is considered the West Bank’s breadbasket. The plan is part of the US “Deal of the century” aimed at eliminating the Palestinian cause. This paper will attempt to highlight the projected impacts of the annexation plan on Palestinian women in this region.
Snapshot of the Jordan Valley (facts and figures)
The future of 65,000 Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley is currently hanging in the balance as they wait to see when and how Israel plans to annex the Valley and therefore isolate them from other areas of the West Bank. On January 28, 2020, outgoing President Donald Trump officially announced his Middle East “Deal of the Century”, presenting a concept paper that would allow Israel to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank thus leaving Palestinians with control of over only 15% of historic Palestine. However, according to the Israeli organization “Peace Now”, the area of the Jordan Valley Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to annex is larger than even that proposed in the Trump plan. According to the “Deal of the century”, Israel is allowed to annex approximately 964 square kilometers but according to the plan Netanyahu put forth, the area slated for annexation is around 1,236 square kilometers of the Jordan Valley.
The repercussions of Israel’s annexation plan for West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley will be ‘catastrophic” for Palestinians. One of the major objectives of this plan is to take control of water resources, especially in the Jordan Valley, which will adversely impact the West Bank breadbasket in its entirety. The annexation of the Jordan Valley will result in the Palestinians losing 560 to 600 million cubic meters of water in addition to the loss of many economic opportunities of no less than $3.5 billion. It will also threaten Palestinian food and water security given that most West Bank areas depend on the agricultural produce of the Jordan Valley such as vegetables.
Violations against women in the Jordan Valley:
After the announcement of the annexation plan, there was an uptick in the number of violations in the Jordan Valley, particularly in residential and agricultural areas, including Israeli army and settler raids and property vandalism in a bid to drive Palestinians off their land. The following violations were recorded as part of a survey conducted by MIFTAH.
- 74% of women stated their properties had been assaulted
- 94% said their ability to visit their family and relatives in other areas was negatively impacted
- 88% said their fear from settler attacks resulted in an increased level of conservatism within their communities and in girls being deprived of education and work opportunities.
- 78% said they believed violations by occupation authorities caused an increase in domestic violence
- 74% said they had abused or yelled at their children due to Israeli violations
- 46% said they had been subjected to physical, verbal or sexual violence from their husbands or a family member
- 93% said Israeli occupation violations such as closures, land confiscation, restrictions on accessing sources of living and others, negatively impacted the livelihoods of women and their families in particular.
These violations make women more vulnerable to health risks such as miscarriages. When their areas of residence are closed, this negatively impacts their ability to reach clinics or hospitals to receive treatment. It also hampers the ability of preventative medicine teams and the Ministry of Health from maintaining a presence in their areas, which has exposed these communities to the spread of Covid-19 over and above direct Israeli army and settler violations that leave them vulnerable to the virus.
Psychological impacts:
- 98% of women stated they felt anxiety and fear from Israeli occupation violations and settler attacks
- 96% said they felt anxious when Israeli occupation forces raided and searched their homes; the same percentage of women felt ongoing anxiety over their family members being killed, arrested or beaten at the hands of Israeli soldiers or settlers.
- 94% said they were constantly on edge because of the sound of bullets or bombs or from seeing soldiers or settlers.
- 88% said they were anxious over the confiscation of their land or facilities by Israeli forces
- 59% considered that Israeli restrictions in this period have negatively impacted the ability of legal teams from reaching their places of residence.
- 44% believe Israeli violations and restrictions hindered women’s access to legal parties in order to file complaints over attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers.
International law and annexation:
- The Jordan Valley is considered an integral part of the territories occupied in 1967 and from which UN Security Council Resolution 242 calls for the necessary and full withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces.
- The annexation process is an attempt to legitimize settlements in the occupied territories, which is in contravention to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 (Article 49), which prohibits the occupying power from moving part of its population to the occupied territories and also prohibits the deportation of the civilian population from their lands.
- International criminal law considers the crime of settlements as falling under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) whereby the court’s basic law (The 1998 Rome Statute) considers the oppression and deportation of the civilian population as a ‘crime against humanity” as long as it is implemented as part of a systematic policy (Article 7) in addition to considering Israel, as the occupying power, transferring its population to the occupied territories as ‘war crimes” (Article 8)
- Forceful annexation of land is in violation of customary law, which stipulates the “inadmissibility of acquiring land by war”
- Annexation of others’ land by force is considered a violation of people’s right to self-determination and their right to preserve their natural resources, in addition to being a violation of the UN charter on the inadmissibility of the use of force between countries in a way that threatens the unity and safety of the independence of countries and puts international peace and security at risk (Articles 1 and 2) of the UN Charter.
- Annexation of land by force is in violation of the international treaties on civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of 1966 (Article 1)
- The annexation of land by force is a violation of The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966 (Article 1) 8
- The annexation of land by force is a violation of the law of “belligerent occupation” , which restricts the powers of the occupying authority and prevents it from owning occupied land and imposing “legal sovereignty” over it; Article 43 of The Hague Regulations for land warfare.
- The UN Security Council previously condemned Israel’s annexation of occupied Jerusalem in 1980 (Resolution 478 of 1980) and the Arab Syrian Golan Heights in 1981 (Resolution 497 of 1981)
- The criminalization of the annexation of others’ land has a place in the various provisions of international judiciaries, including the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice regarding Israel’s separation wall in 2004.
- The UN General Assembly addressed the issue of annexation of others’ land in its resolutions coinciding with the approaches of international law. The GA passed a number of resolutions that call for not taking any measures that would lead to the annexation of others’ land, and in the Palestinian case, this was via Resolution 242 pertaining to the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from lands occupied in 1967. There was also Resolution 2851 on the illegitimacy of Israeli settlements, UNSCR446, which condemned Israel’s construction of settlements, UNSCR 452 and 465 on the illegality of Israeli settlements and UNSCR2335, which reiterated the call on Israel to halt settlement construction including in East Jerusalem, in addition to other resolutions that guarantee the rights of the Palestinian people.
- The UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories, Michael Lynk issued a statement on 1/5/2020 regarding the Israeli annexation project for the Jordan Valley in which he said: "Israel's decision to unilaterally march ahead with the planned annexation on July 1 undermines human rights in the region, and would be a severe body blow to the rules-based international order. It would also further undermine any remaining prospect for a just and negotiated settlement”
Testimonies of women in the Jordan Valley:
As part of this factsheet, a group of women living in the Jordan Valley gave their testimonies about measures taken by Israeli occupation forces after the “Deal of the Century “was announced. They also gave a description of their daily lives and the intimidation, anxiety and mental exhaustion they suffer. Following are some of their testimonies:
Subhiyeh Abdallah Ahmad Zubeidat:
A Palestinian farmer from the Zubeidat region of the Jordan Valley, Zubeidat stated: After the annexation plan was announced, Israeli occupation authorities opened a road connecting the town of Zubeidat with nearby settlements, which resulted in an increase in settler attacks. Furthermore, the Israeli army changed the streets at the entrance to the town and prevented Palestinians from building their own playground. They also uprooted palm trees here.” She then explained how the army sent threats to the village council, threatening the residents with displacement and with cutting off electricity and water supplies. She expressed her fear and concern over the frequency of settler and army raids into the town over the past year, saying they ruined property, attacked residents and arrested youth. She admitted she is always afraid for her husband and children, especially her oldest son, from being arrested or killed.
Intisar Mohammed Ahmad Nawawra:
A Palestinian farmer from the Fasayel region, Nawawra spoke about the rise in the number of house demolitions in her region since the annexation plan was announced, which in turn has heightened her anxiety and fears, especially over her children. She also said the Israeli army sent them threats about cutting water and electricity supplies.
Firyal Jamil Hussein Sawafta
Sawafta the head of the Bardala Women’s Center and said that immediately after the annexation plan was announced, settlers pitched tents at the border of the town and then began to build a settlement named “Makhula”, which was expanded in close proximity to Bardala. They also demolished Palestinian homes on the mountaintop and stole private land there. Sawafta maintained she did not receive any direct threats from the Israeli army but nonetheless felt threatened by the increasing number of Israeli military drills in the area. “You feel like you are in a warzone, not in your home,” she said. “We are afraid of raids, attacks, of being forced to leave our homes and land and losing everything we own. You feel sad and frustrated over the condition of your town, your neighbors and your family.”
Amneh Hassan Ahmad Sbeitan:
Sbeitan is a woman from the Jiftlik area of the Jordan Valley. Since the annexation plan was announced, she said there were no new measures taken by occupation authorities but that the entire town continues to live in a perpetual state of fear and tension over the unknown future. “Of course, I am also afraid; I worry about whether my daughters will be able come and go to university and not be turned back. If they are not allowed through, where will they go? I also worry about accessing health services in an emergency. Should we leave? Move? Or should we stay?”
To view the full Factsheet as PDF
ورقة حقائق: مخطط ضم الأغوار الفلسطينية - كانون أول 2020
تاريخ النشر: 10/12/2020
بقلم: MIFTAH
المقدمة:
تستعرض هذه الورقة أبرز الحقائق والمعلومات الخاصة بمخطط الضم الإسرائيلي للأغوار الفلسطينية المحتلة التي تعتبر السلة الغذائية للضفة الغربية، حيث تم تداول الحديث عن هذا المشروع ضمن مرتكزات صفقة القرن الهادفة إلى تصفية القضية الفلسطينية، وستحاول هذه الورقة ربط الآثار المتوقعة لعملية الضم على النساء الفلسطينيات في هذه المنطقة.
لمحة عامة عن الأغوار الفلسطينية (حقائق وأرقام):
ان مستقبل ال 65 ألف فلسطيني في غور الأردن معلق في حالة من عدم اليقين والخوف وهم ينتظرون أن تقرر "إسرائيل" متى وكيف ستضم أراضي الأغوار وتتركهم معزولين عن المناطق الأخرى من الضفة الغربية. ففي 28 كانون الثاني 2020، أعلن الرئيس الأمريكي السابق دونالد ترامب رسميًا عن خطة "صفقة القرن" للشرق الأوسط، حيث قدم خريطة مفاهيمية من شأنها أن تسمح لإسرائيل بضم أجزاء كبيرة من الضفة الغربية المحتلة وتمنح الفلسطينيين السيطرة على 15٪ فقط من فلسطين التاريخية. ولكن وفقًا لمنظمة "السلام الآن" الإسرائيلية، فإن المنطقة التي يخطط رئيس الوزراء الإسرائيلي بنيامين نتنياهو ضمها من غور الأردن أكبر من المنطقة المعروضة في خطة ترامب. فوفقاً لخريطة ترامب، مسموح لإسرائيل أن تضم حوالي 964 كيلومتر مربع ولكن حسب الخريطة التي قدمها نتنياهو فإن المناطق التي سيتم ضمها ستشكل حوالي 1236 كيلومتر مربع من الأراضي من وادي الأردن.
ستكون نتائج تطبيق مخطط الضم الإسرائيلي لمستوطنات الضفة الغربية والأغوار "كارثية" على الفلسطينيين، فأبرز أهداف هذا المخطط هو السيطرة على مصادر المياه، خاصة في الأغوار، الأمر الذي سيؤثر سلبيا على السلة الغذائية للضفة الغربية برمتها. فضم الأغوار سيؤدي إلى خسارة الفلسطينيين من 560 إلى 600 مليون متر مكعب من المياه إضافة إلى الكثير من الفرص الاقتصادية الضائعة التي لا تقل عن 3.5 مليار دولار ، كما سيهدد الأمن المائي والغذائي الفلسطيني، لأن معظم مناطق الضفة الغربية تعتمد على ما تنتجه الزراعة في الأغوار، سواء خضراوات أو غيرها من المنتجات .
الانتهاكات الواقعة على النساء في مناطق الأغوار:
بعد إعلان مخطط الضم ازدادت عدد الانتهاكات في مناطق الأغوار خاصة تلك الواقعة على مناطق السكن والأراضي الزراعية من اقتحامات وتخريب ممتلكات في محاولة لطرد الفلسطينيين من أراضيهم، فسُجِّلَت الانتهاكات التالية ضمن اطار دراسة مسحية أجرتها مؤسسة "مفتاح" ":
- 74% من النساء صرحن أنهن تعرضن لاعتداء على الممتلكات.
- 94% منهن تأثرت قدراتهن على زيارة أسرهن وأقاربهن الذين يسكنون في المناطق الأخرى سلباً.
- 88% منهن صرحن أن الخوف من اعتداءات المستوطنين تسبب في ازدياد درجة المحافظة داخل المجتمع وحرمان الفتيات من فرص التعليم والعمل.
- 78% اعتبرن أن انتهاكات الاحتلال تسببت بزيادة العنف داخل الأسرة.
- 74% قمن بتعنيف أبنائهن أو الصراخ عليهم نتيجة انتهاكات الاحتلال
- 46% تعرضن لعنف جسدي أو لفظي أو جنسي من الزوج أو أحد أفراد الأسرة.
- 93% صرحن أن انتهاكات الاحتلال التي تمثلت بالإغلاقات ومصادرة الأراضي وتقييد الوصول لمصادر الرزق وغيرها أثرت سلبا على مصادر الرزق الخاصة بالنساء وأسرهن.
إن هذه الانتهاكات تجعل النساء أكثر عرضة للتعرض لمخاطر صحية منها الإجهاض، حيث أن إغلاق مناطق سكنهن أثر سلباً على قدرتهن على الوصول إلى العيادات الطبية أو المستشفيات لتلقي العلاج، وعلى قدرة طواقم الطب الوقائي ووزارة الصحة على التواجد في مناطق سكنهن ما عرض المجتمع المحلي لانتشار فايروس كورونا حيث أن انتهاكات الاحتلال والمستوطنين جعلت المنطقة أكثر عرضة لانتشار الفايروس.
أما بالنسبة للآثار النفسية؛
- 98% من النساء أفدن بأنهن شعرن بالقلق أو الخوف من التعرض لانتهاكات الاحتلال واعتداءات المستوطنين خلال الفترة الأخيرة.
- 96% يشعرن بالقلق من قيام قوات الاحتلال باقتحام منازلهن وتفتيشها، وذات النسبة من النساء يشعرن بالقلق الدائم من تعرض أحد أفراد أسرهن للقتل أو الاعتقال أو الضرب على أيدي جنود الاحتلال أو المستوطنين.
- 94% منهن يصبن بحالة توتر دائمة عند سماع صوت رصاص أو قنابل أو رؤية مستوطنين أو جنود الاحتلال.
- 88% يشعرن بالقلق من مصادرة الاحتلال لأراضٍ أو منشآت خاصة.
- 59% اعتبرن أن قيود الاحتلال في الآونة الأخيرة أثرت سلباً على قدرة طواقم المؤسسات القانونية على الوصول إلى مناطق سكنهن
- 44% رأين أن انتهاكات وقيود الاحتلال أعاقت وصول النساء للجهات القانونية لتقديم شكاوى نتيجة تعرضهن لاعتداء من الاحتلال والمستوطنين.
موقف القانون الدولي من مسألة الضم:
يمكن لنا تلخيص الموقف القانوني من قضية الضم على النحو التالي:
- تعتبر الأغوار الفلسطينية جزءً لا يتجزأ من الأراضي المحتلة عام 1967، والتي نص قرار مجلس الأمن الدولي رقم 242 الصادر في نوفمبر 1967 على وجوب إنسحاب قوات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي منها بشكل كامل.
- عملية الضم هي محاولة لشرعنة الاستيطان في الأراضي المحتلة، الأمر الذي يخالف اتفاقية جنيف الرابعة لعام 1949 (المادة 49) التي تحظر على قوة الاحتلال نقل جزء من سكانها إلى الأراضي المحتلة، كما يُحظَر عليها طرد السكان المدنيين من أراضيهم.
- اعتبر القانون الدولي الجنائي أن جريمة الاستيطان تدخل ضمن اختصاص المحكمة الجنائية الدولية، حيث أنَّ النظام الأساسي للمحكمة (ميثاق روما لعام 1998)، اعتبر جريمة الاضطهاد وترحيل السكان المدنيين من ضمن "الجرائم ضد الإنسانية" طالما تم تنفيذها ضمن سياسة ممنهجة وعلى نطاق واسع (المادة 7)، إضافة إلى اعتبار قيام دولة الاحتلال بنقل سكانها للإقامة في الأرض المحتلة من ضمن "جرائم الحرب" (المادة 8).
- ضم الأراضي بالقوة هو مخالفة للقاعدة العرفية التي تنص على عدم جواز "اكتساب الأرض عبر الحرب".
- يعتبر ضم أراضي الغير بالقوة مخالفة لحق الشعوب في تقرير المصير وحقها بالحفاظ على مواردها الطبيعية، إضافة إلى مخالفته لميثاق الأمم المتحدة بعدم جواز استخدام القوة بين الدول بشكل يهدد وحدة وسلامة استقلال الدول، وتعريض السلم والأمن الدوليين إلى الخطر (المادة 1 و 2) من ميثاق الأمم المتحدة.
- ضم الأراضي بالقوة مخالفة للعهدين الدوليين الخاصين بالحقوق المدنية والسياسية والاقتصادية والاجتماعية والثقافية لعام 1966 (المادة 1).
- ضم الأراضي بالقوة يعتبر مخالفة لقانون "الاحتلال الحربي" الذي يقيد صلاحيات السلطة القائمة بالاحتلال، ويمنعها من تملك الأرض المحتلة وفرض "السيادة القانونية" عليها (المادة 43) من لائحة لاهاي الخاصة بقواعد الحرب البرية.
- سبق وأن أدان مجلس الأمن الدولي قرارات إسرائيل بضم كل من القدس المحتلة عام 1980 (القرار 478 لعام 1980) والجولان العربي السوري عام 1981 (القرار 497 لعام 1981).
- تجد مسألة تجريم ضم أراضي الغير موضعها في أحكام القضاء الدولي المختلفة، بما فيها الرأي الاستشاري الصادر عن محكمة العدل الدولية بخصوص جدار الضم والتوسع الصادر عام 2004.
- أولت الجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة اهتماماً بمسألة ضم أراض الغير، وانسجمت في قراراتها مع توجهات المشرع الدولي، إذ أصدرت جملة من القرارات التي تدعو إلى عدم القيام بأية إجراءات من شأنها أن تؤدي إلى ضم أراضي الغير، وارتباطاً بالحالة الفلسطينية جاء القرار (242) المتصل بوجوب انسحاب دولة الاحتلال من الأراضي التي احتلتها سنة 1967م، والقرار (2851) المتعلق بعدم شرعية المستوطنات الإسرائيلية، وقرار مجلس الأمن (446) الذي ندد بقيام دولة الاحتلال ببناء المستوطنات، والقراران (452) و(465) المتعلقان بالمستوطنات الإسرائيلية غير المشروعة، والقرار (2334) الذي كرر دعوة دولة الاحتلال إلى وقف بناء المستوطنات بما فيها مستوطنات القدس الشرقية، وغيرها من القرارات التي كفلت حقوق الشعب الفلسطيني.
- أصدر مقرر الأمم المتحدة الخاص بحالة حقوق الإنسان في الأرض الفلسطينية المحتلة السيد مايكل لينك بتاريخ 1/5/2020 بياناً حول مشروع الضم الإسرائيلي للأغوار الفلسطينية، جاء فيه ما يلي: "إن قرار إسرائيل التحرك بشكل أحادي الجانب نحو الضم المخطط له في الأول من تموز/يوليو، يقوّض حقوق الإنسان في المنطقة، وسيكون ضربة قاسية للنظام الدولي القائم على القواعد، ويقوّض أي احتمال متبقٍ لتسوية عادلة متفاوض عليها".
إفادات النساء في الأغوار:
عند إعداد ورقة الحقائق هذه تم التواصل مع مجموعة من النساء المقيمات في الأغوار. قامت النساء بوصف أحداث قام بها الاحتلال الإسرائيلي بعد اعلان خطة "صفقة القرن" والضم، كما قاموا أيضا بشرح حياتهن اليومية وتفاصيل التخوف والترقب والارهاق النفسي الذي يعانين منه. ومن أبرز هذه الإفادات:
صبحية عبد الله أحمد زبيدات:
مزارعة فلسطينية من منطقة الزبيدات في الأغوار، حيث أفادت: "بعد اعلان خطة الضم قام الاحتلال بفتح شارع يربط بلدة زبيدات مع المستوطنة القريبة مما أدى الى تزايد عدد اعتداءات المستوطنين. كما قام جيش الاحتلال بتغيير شوارع مدخل البلدة ومنعوا المواطنين الفلسطينيين من بناء ملعب خاص بهم وقاموا باقتلاع أشجار النخيل من المنطقة". كما شرحت صبحية كيف تم إرسال رسائل تهديد للمجلس القروي من قبل الجيش حيث قاموا بتهديد السكان بالترحيل وقطع الكهرباء والمياه إذا لم يتم دفع المبلغ المطلوب، قائلة: "هم يتحكموا بنا وبحياتنا عندما يتحكمون بالمياه والكهرباء." كما عبرت صبحية عن خوفها وقلقها من كثرة دخول المستوطنين وجيش الاحتلال البلدة خلال السنة حيث يقوموا بتخريب الممتلكات، والاعتداء عليهم واعتقال الشباب. فهي تقضي وقتها خائفة على زوجها وأطفالها خصوصا ابنها البكر من الاعتقال أو القتل.
انتصار محمد أحمد نواورة:
امرأة فلسطينية من منطقة الفصايل، تحدثت عن ارتفاع عدد عمليات هدم المنازل في منطقتها بعد أن تم إعلان خطة الضم مما زاد من القلق والخوف عندها وخصوصا على أطفالها، وتم ارسال رسائل تهدد بقطع المياه والكهرباء عنهم من قبل جيش الاحتلال.
فريال جميل حسين صوافطة:
رئيسة مركز نسوي في بردلة، حيث وضحت ان فور اعلان خطة الضم، قام مستوطنون بنصب خيم عند حدود البلدة ومن ثم باشروا في بناء مستوطنة تحت اسم "مخولة"، حيث امتدت المستوطنة لتكون قريبة جدا من منطقة بردلة. كما قاموا أيضا بهدم البيوت الفلسطينية التي تقع على قمة الجبل وسلب الأراضي الخاصة بها. بالنسبة للتهديدات فلم يصل فريال أي رسائل تهديد ولكنها شعرت بالتهديد عندما ازداد عدد التدريبات العسكرية المحيطة بالمنطقة، فقد قالت "تشعر أنك في حرب وليس في منزلك، ماذا سيحصل؟ تخاف من الاقتحامات والاعتداءات والخوف من الاضطرار الى ترك البيت والأرض وخسارة الممتلكات. انت بتشعر بالحزن والقهر على بلدتك وجيرانك وعائلتك."
آمنة حسان أحمد سبيتان:
امرأة فلسطينية من منطقة الجفتلك في الأغوار، فقد أكدت أنه منذ الاعلان عن خطة الضم، لم يتم اتخاذ أي إجراءات جديدة من قبل الاحتلال لكن البلدة في حالة خوف وتوتر من المستقبل غير المعروف. فعندما تم سؤالها عن حالتها النفسية كانت اجابتها؛ "طبعا يوجد لدي خوف، خوف على بناتي عند ذهابهن وعودتهن من وإلى الجامعة، هل سيسمح لهم بالمرور ام لا؟ ماذا سيحصل؟ اين سيذهبون إن لم يتم السماح لهن بالمرور؟ نحن ايضا نقلق على وصولنا للخدمات الصحية في حالات الطوارئ؟ هل يجب علينا المغادرة والانتقال؟ هل نبقى؟"
للاطلاع على ورقة الحقائق بصيغة PDF
Healthcare Restricted: Female Cancer Patients in Gaza
Date posted: June 07, 2023
By MIFTAH
Background:
The Israeli-imposed siege and the frequent aggressions targeting medical facilities in Gaza have debilitated the health sector and its capacity to provide proper medical services. This is exacerbated in cases of chronic diseases, which gives rise to a need to leave the Gaza Strip to receive medical treatment in the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, or elsewhere. However, Israel imposes a strict and discriminatory permit regime, which has a disproportionate impact on medical patients given their conditions, and it is not unusual for these permits to be significantly delayed or ultimately refused by Israel.
The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) collected questionnaires from 102 women diagnosed with cancer in the Gaza Strip to assess the quality of the treatment, availability of equipment, accessibility, and referral process.
The full report is accessible here.
Conclusion and recommendations:
The 16-year-long Israeli-imposed blockade and closure on Gaza have had detrimental impacts on the health sector in the besieged Strip. Specifically, the siege has compromised the ability of the healthcare sector to deliver proper medical services due to the absence of crucial medication, equipment, and supplies under flimsy security pretexts. Ultimately, frequent aggressions and targeting of health facilities and the Israeli-imposed siege on Gaza compromise the availability, accessibility, and quality of healthcare services available to Palestinians in Gaza.
MIFTAH urges the international community to:
- Put an end to Israel’s impunity and hold it accountable for its persistent crimes, including the crime against humanity of apartheid, through the adoption of effective and concrete measures;
- Exert pressure to lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip and allow for the free movement of people and goods;
- Ensure the urgent implementation of UNSCR 1325 to provide immediate protection for Palestinian women and to put an end to Israel’s impunity;
- Support the UN Special Rapporteur in the oPt, the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion, the ICC investigation and the UN Commission of Inquiry.
The summary factsheet is accessible here.
Financial indicators for the Family Protection Bill
Date posted: May 17, 2023
By MIFTAH
The legislation of the family protection bill is aimed at the protection of the family itself as an institution, and to guarantee its preservation. Palestinian legislators are aware of the importance of this bill, which is why all ministries and official institutions committed to developing its relevant programs, policies and plans, each according to their field of expertise. Their goal is to contribute to the promotion of a culture that combats domestic violence and encourages the response of public policies to this objective, through education, health, legislation and the media. Another objective is to track the bill’s impact and periodically assess it in cooperation with other civil societies. This paper focuses on some of the financial indicators pertaining to this bill.
All family members in Palestine are subjected to violence, including children, minors, women and men. However, married women remain the sector most vulnerable to domestic violence according to a 2019 Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics survey. It said 29.4% of married women had been subjected to at least one type of violence by their husbands as opposed to 13% of men who had been subjected to violence by their wives, by their own confession. A total of 44.7% of individuals who have never been married have been subjected toviolence;7.6% of the elderly and 44.2% of children(12-17yearsold) were the victims of violence at the hands of one of their parents. Although a high percentage of women have been victims of violence from their spouse, a considerable percentage of these women, around 60.3% preferred to stay silent about the assault. Only a small percentage of women asked for help through official avenues; 2.9% went to a defence lawyer to file a lawsuit against their husbands, 1.3% went to the police or a family protection unit and 1.4% went to the centres for mental, social and legal aid.
Financial indicators for the Family Protection Bill
| Article of Bill/Law by Decree | Relevant party | Estimated cost |
| Article(4) specialization of Ministry of Social Development: The Ministry, in cooperation with government and civil society organizations, provide the following services to victims of domestic violence: 1.Protection and fulfilment of needs of the victim; economically and socially empowering her and reintegrating her in society in order to preserve the family fabric, while ensuring not to equate the victim with the perpetrator. 2.Appointing protection counsellors in all directorates and qualifying them to deal with domestic violence cases 3.Providingsocial, psychological and legal experts to provide victim support 4.Ensuringthe provision of social, psychological, health and legal services to domestic violence victims in coordination with relevant parties. 5.Preparing rehabilitation programs for perpetrators of domestic violence crimes 6.Coordination and cooperation with government and civil society organizations to provide the necessary training for the enforcers of this law by decree. Preparing the necessary preventative plans and programs against domestic violence |
Ministry of Social Development | ILS12 million over 3 years on average of ILS4 million year, based on a study prepared by the Ministry of Social Development |
| Article 6: Family and Minors Protection Police: In accordance with the provisions of this bill/law by decree, a family and minor protection police will be established, with branches set up in all districts of the homeland. It’s specializations are the following: 1.Goingtothe place of the domestic violence incident when the informer states that the violence has occurred, is about to occur is ongoing; or in case of violation of a restraining order, even if the informer is not the victim 2.Providingfree 24-hourhotlinestohelp victims |
Palestinian police and Family and Minors Protection Department
Reform and Rehabilitation Centres Department |
ILS7.3 million/year (the study is based on the number of those working in the family and minors protection department and their mean salary)
ILS1.3 million/year (the study is based on the number of those working in reform and rehabilitation enters, which includes special sections for women boarders) |
| Article7: Family Protection Prosecution 1.In accordance with the provision of this bill/law by decree, a prosecution’s office will be established to follow up on domestic violence cases in all districts and will operate under the supervision of the Attorney General in accordance with penal measures in force. 2. This family protection prosecution office will promptly investigate domestic violence incidents while also preserving the privacy and dignity of the victim |
Family Protection Prosecution | ILS1.7 million, based on the number of relevant prosecution agents and their mean salaries |
| Article10: parties qualified to issue restraining orders 1.Restrainingorders will be issued by the following parties of their own accord: a. Family Protection Prosecution b. The presiding judge |
Presiding judges | ILS1.9 million, based on the number of judges and their mean salaries |
| Total expected estimated cost | ILS16.2 million |
The table above shows that the estimated and main additional cost of the Ministry of Social Development to be around ILS4 million a year, considering that the other parties (police, prosecution and courts) are currently carrying out their roles without fully allocating specialized departments for protection from violence. However, if these parties do allot specialized departments for protection from violence, overall costs will reach approximately ILS16.2 million. Nonetheless, even if this cost is incurred, it still only comprises a small part of public expenditures, approximately 0.1%. Overall public expenditures for 2022 amount to approximately ILS16.2 billion, which means the cost of passing this bill and implementing its provisions will not constitute financial burden on the general budget and will not be an obstacle to ratifying the law by decree.
Furthermore, it should be noted that while it is imperative to calculate some of the costs resulting from violence against women, the reaerate the high costs as well. The secret social costs, which impact society as a whole. Data from the Ministry of Social Development showed (see graph), that violence exercised against women has prompted around 60% of them to flee their homes. Also, 18% of them attempted suicide in addition to suffering from mental and physical illnesses, unwanted pregnancies or others. Calculating expenses incurred from violence is not an easy process and there are no national data or figures that can measure the impact violence has on the state’s general budget due to the prevalent mentality towards violence as an issue associated only with women. This is especially true when the conversation is about the indirect and intangible effects of violence, including:
Violations of human rights; negative social, economic and political impacts; working women who get sick and need to take sick leave; lack of focus and productivity; impact of violence on children and academic failure; the rise in the percentage of school dropouts among children; the rise in long-term unemployment rates; the percentage of homeless children who become a burden on society; government expenditures for medical treatment; safehouses; therapy; monitoring cases of violence against women; individual expenses for following up on legal cases and lawyer fees; loss of income because of repeated absence from work or inefficacy; social expenses resulting from the breakup of the family; expenses of training individuals on how to deal with cases of violence; expenses for issuing laws and legislation on the protection of women from violence.
Confirmation of the above is that the UN believes the economic, social and health costs of violence against women are, to a large extent, undocumented and unrecognized. However, these remain colossal, according to researchers, specialists and defenders of women’s rights.
To view the full factsheet as PDF
Israeli state-sanctioned settler terrorism: A gendered lens
Date posted: April 26, 2023
By MIFTAH
Background:
The illegal Israeli settlement project, including settler-only bypass roads, military checkpoints, and the annexation wall, continues to expand and steal more Palestinian land and resources. As of today, the number of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, is close to 300, with around 750,000 Jewish settlers residing in them.
Israeli state-sanctioned settler terrorism against Palestinian civilians and property is prevalent and has been on the rise in recent years. Violence takes the form of psychological, physical, and verbal violence, including beating, throwing stones or sharp tools, intimidation, shooting, verbal assaults, and assaults on agricultural lands, cars, and homes. Such attacks are committed in the presence of Israeli occupation forces who often join them.
The high frequency of these forms of violence and their persistence give rise to psychological, physical, and material harm. Palestinian survivors of settler terrorism seldom press charges and file complaints against Israeli settlers given the complicity of the Israeli law enforcement system.
The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) and the Women’s Center for Legal and Counseling (WCLAC) collected questionnaires from 229 Palestinian women covering settler violence in the occupied West Bank governorates of Al-Khalil/Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem.
MIFTAH calls on the international community to:
Put an end to Israel’s impunity and hold it accountable for its persistent crimes, including the crime against humanity of apartheid, through the adoption of effective and concrete measures;
Stop all relations and trade with illegal Israeli settlements including international companies that profit from them;
Criminalize and blacklist Israeli settler groups that engage in terrorist activities and hold those with dual citizenship accountable in their respective states;
Ensure the urgent implementation of UNSCR 1325 to provide immediate protection for Palestinian women and to put an end to Israel’s impunity;
Support the UN Special Rapporteur in the oPt, the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion, the ICC investigation and the UN Commission of Inquiry.
