Introduction
At a time in which world governments are combating the COVID-19 pandemic that threatens the global health and economy, Israel is intentionally aggravating the impact of the virus on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. This includes the perpetual violation of Palestinian basic rights, such as the right to life, right to health, and right to enjoy an adequate standard of living.
In addition to the imposed siege on the Gaza Strip for more than 13 years, Israeli aircraft have been spraying dangerous chemical materials composed of Glyphosate, Oxygal and Diurex, since 2014. These substances are sprayed on the agricultural lands of Palestinians living in border areas of the Gaza Strip. For example, in the past two years, Israeli forces sprayed Palestinian agricultural lands with chemical substances at least 17 times, whereas updated data shows the dangerous impact of these substances on crops, the environment, and health of residents. According to the testimonies of tens of Palestinians farmers, these chemicals damaged numerous agricultural crops and changed the crops’ color. Substances included in these chemical materials can also cause cancer and other chronic diseases.
The spraying of the above-mentioned chemical substances leads to several environmental risks and the violation of the right to have a clear, healthy and sustainable environment; right to life; right to enjoy the highest possible level of physical and mental health; and the right to an adequate standard of living.
Access restricted areas in the Gaza Strip are undergoing multiple forms of Israeli assaults, whereas the latter sprays chemical herbicides along the eastern borders of the Gaza Strip. This includes agricultural lands that feed thousands of Palestinian households. The policy of destroying Palestinian crops led to a severe impact on the lives of Palestinian residents and their economic and food security. For example, the systematic spraying of chemical herbicides significantly damages the soil, thereby undermining the Palestinian farmers’ resilience throughout the eastern areas of the Gaza Strip.
It is worth noting that Israeli forces deliberately conduct spraying operations in these areas at the beginning of agricultural seasons, especially in December and April of every year. These months are the main ones for harvesting winter and summer crops (such as watermelons and okra in the summer, and peas, beans, wheat and barley in the winter) and planting different kinds of leaves (e.g., spinach, dill (Anethum graveolens), parsley and chard). According to Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture data, approximately 2,000 dunums of agricultural lands are subjected to attacks by spraying operations. Another harmful element of Israeli spraying operations is their unexpected timing, whereas they usually take place without any prior warning or notification, especially as a result of droplets that extend to far-reaching areas. These droplets are also spread as a result of the wind speed and direction, thereby exacerbating the damage and affecting a larger agricultural area.
Spraying operations pose a direct threat to Palestinian farmers. For example, many farmers lost their main source of income due to the damaging of their crops/plants and harming their livestock (such as cattle and birds that feed on weeds in these areas). The used chemical substances are also considered anti-germination materials.
Israeli forces many times use false pretexts and allegations to justify their spraying operations and obliterate the herbs and plants growing next to the separation wall. This led to ravaging large agricultural lands and prevented Gaza’s farmers from cultivating their lands and performing agricultural activities. In other words, the occupation intentionally attacks agricultural lands in the Gaza Strip, while occasionally leveling off these farmlands. This raises serious questions about the feasibility of spraying herbs with chemical herbicides and simultaneously razing and leveling off these lands.
Context of the Policy Issue
First: Areas Suffering from Spraying Operations
The Israeli policy of spraying herbicides on agricultural lands in the access restricted areas east of the Gaza Strip is a serious hindrance for hundreds of Palestinian farmers who depend on agriculture to support their families. This practice constitutes collective punishment against Gaza Strip residents, who have been living under siege for 13 years in a row. According to Palestinian human rights organizations, Israeli forces deliberately and systematically spray Palestinian agricultural lands with herbicides in the period between November and April of every year to damage crops, whereas Israeli airplanes fly at low levels and attack farmlands with chemical herbicides as far as 2,000 meters within the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces also ignite rubber tires to check the direction of the wind, in order to maximize the area of lands that receive the harmful droplets of herbicides. According to human rights organizations in the Gaza Strip, aircraft used by occupation authorities can carry between 400-800 gallons of herbicides. These planes can fly at a speed of 120-160 miles per hour, which enables them to maximize the area of lands affected by herbicides. In response to a “Freedom of Information” request made by Gisha Center in November 2016, the Israeli Ministry of Defense confirmed that herbicides are dropped by airplanes along Gaza’s border area, and that the spraying takes place between the Erez crossing in the north and Karm Abu Salem crossing in the south, over an estimated area of 12 dunums.
Second: Materials Used in Aerial Spraying Operations
According to environmental expert George Kurzom, Israeli occupation forces spray access restricted areas with a mixture of Glyphosate, Oxygal and Diurex. Kurzon also pointed out that the herbicides dropped by Israel on Gazan farmers’ lands might remain inside the soil for several years without decomposing. He also noted that, in general, herbicides are considered carcinogenic and may cause genetic, congenital and reproductive disorders. Moreover, a report issued by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) [which is a subordinate of World Health Organization] shows that Glyphosate, which is an active substance in many herbicides used by the occupation, is indeed a cancerous substance.
Third: Impact of Herbicides on the Agricultural Sector
The spraying of chemical herbicides on agricultural lands in the Gaza Strip damages numerous crops and changes their color due to penetrating their roots. This is clearly seen in several plants and leaves, such as spinach, parsley, peas, turnips, cabbage, zucchini, wheat and barley. The sprayed substances (especially the cancerous Glyphosate) ravage the soil and prevent its germination, thus leading to substantial losses incurred by farmers. For example, the total losses of farmers due to Israel’s spraying of herbicides on their lands from the beginning of 2020 until the time of preparing this paper were approximately $379,670 U.S.
In light of what was mentioned above, the paper presents a number of policy options for relevant Palestinian and international bodies. This encompasses alternatives and suggestions to introduce policies that support Palestinian farmers in access restricted areas. The paper assumes that the presented propositions can be simultaneously implemented to lead to a stronger impact within a reasonable time-period.
First Alternative: Internationalize the Agricultural Crisis in Gaza’s Border Areas and Resort to International Bodies
This alternative suggests referring this issue to the international community (such as the Human Rights Council, World Health Organization, and other international agencies) and calling upon them to fulfill their legal and moral duty of confronting unjust policies and taking effective measures to stop the Israeli violation of Palestinian farmers’ rights. International parties must also oblige the occupation to stop spraying toxic herbicides, as well as examining the possibility of pressuring Israel to compensate Palestinian farmers for the suffered losses.
Second Alternative: Adoption of National Policies and Interventions to Enhance Palestinian Farmers’ Resilience in these Areas
This alternative focuses on strengthening the resilience of Palestinian farmers and helping them mitigate the damages of spraying crops with herbicides. Moreover, it enables farmers to bear the losses related to Israel’s spraying activities, by creating a fund to support Palestinian farmers to compensate them for suffered damages. This alternative also includes exempting farmers of taxes related to agricultural lands in these areas, as well as establishing “medical points” to provide adequate treatment for livestock in these areas. It is also possible to cooperate with a number of international parties in this context to finance that fund and provide the necessary anti-pesticide materials.
Main Recommendations:
- Call for an international investigation by specialized committees to examine the chemical materials sprayed by Israeli aircraft on agricultural lands and highlight their impact on the soil, environment, and health of residents. This will facilitate the curbing of spraying assaults and can expose the occupation’s violation of international law.
- Request from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to establish scientific laboratories in the Gaza Strip. It is also vital to develop Palestinian capacities to examine the nature of chemical substances sprayed on agricultural lands, as well as providing farmers with the necessary materials to protect their soil from spoilage.
- It is necessary to implement Decree Law No. (12) of 2013 regarding the Palestinian Agricultural Disaster Risk Reduction and Insurance Fund (PADRRIF).
- Protect the agricultural sector from hostile military activities and enable Palestinian farmers to cultivate their agricultural lands in Gaza Strip border areas.
- Adopt all available measures and means to end the siege on the Gaza Strip, along with holding the perpetrators accountable for their blatant human rights violations.
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This Policy Paper was prepared as part of the “Youth as Human Right Defenders” project funded by the European Union The content of this document does not reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Responsibility for the information and views expressed in the study lies entirely with MIFTAH
ورقة سياساتيه: خلق سياسات داعمة للمزارع الفلسطيني في المناطق الحدودية
تاريخ النشر: 07/07/2021
بقلم: مفتاح
مقدمة
في الوقت الذي تحارب فيه حكومات العالم جائحة عالمية تؤثر على الصحة والاقتصاد في شتى أنحاء الأرض، تزيد ممارسات الاحتلال الاسرائيلي من تداعيات وآثار الفايروس على الفلسطينيين المحاصرين في قطاع غزة، وتستمر بانتهاك حقوقهم الأساسية بما في ذلك الحق في الحياة، الحق في الصحة والحق في التمتع بمستوى معيشي مناسب.
فبالإضافة الى فرض حصار على قطاع غزة لأكثر من 13 عام، تقوم طائرات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي منذ عام 2014 برش المواد الكيماوية الخطيرة المركبة من مواد ك "الغليفوسات، وأوكسيجال، وديوريكس"، على الأراضي الزراعية للمواطنين الفلسطينيين في المناطق الحدودية لقطاع غزة بشكل دوري مرتين كل عام، حيث أنها قامت خلال العامين السابقين برش الأراضي الزراعية 17 مرة على الأقل. وتشير المعطيات الواقعية المتوفرة إلى الآن عن وجود آثار خطيرة لهذه المواد الكيماوية على المحاصيل الزراعية، والبيئة، وصحة المواطنين، حيث تسببت بموت الكثير من المحاصيل الزراعية وتغير لونها تبعاً لشهادات عشرات المزارعين، إضافة إلى أنّ بعض المواد المكونة لها تتسبب بالسرطانات والأمراض المزمنة.
إنّ لرش المواد الكيماوية المذكورة مخاطر بيئية عديدة تؤدي بالنتيجة الى انتهاك العديد من الحقوق المرتبطة بوجود بيئة نظيفة وصحية ومستدامة، بما في ذلك الحق في الحياة، الحق في التمتع بأعلى مستوى ممكن من الصحة البدنية والعقلية والحق بمستوى معيشي مناسب.
تتعرض المناطق مقيّدة الوصول في قطاع غزة لاعتداءات إسرائيلية متعددة الأشكال، ويعتبر السلوك الإسرائيلي المتمثل في رش المبيدات الكيميائية على طول الشرقية في قطاع غزة، والتي هي في الأصل أراضي زراعية يعتاش منها آلاف الأسر الفلسطينية، حيث تؤثر سياسة إتلاف المزروعات الفلسطينية على حياة المواطنين وأمنهم الغذائي والاقتصادي، إذ تتعرض التربة بفعل المبيدات الكيميائية الضارة، الى تدمير ممنهج بعيد المدى، وهو ما ينعكس بالضرورة على قدرة المزارعين الفلسطينيين على الصمود على طول المناطق الشرقية .
حيث تتعمد قوات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي القيام بعمليات الرش في تلك المناطق، مع بداية المواسم الزراعية وتحديدا في شهري ديسمبر وأبريل من كل عام، وهي فترة انتاج المحاصيل الزراعية الشتوية والصيفية، مثل البطيخ والبامية كمحاصيل صيفية، والبازيلاء والفول والقمح والشعير كمحاصيل شتوية، إضافة إلى المزروعات الورقية بمختلف أنواعها مثل السبانخ والجرادة والبقدونس والسلق، وتقدر المساحة التي تهددها عملية الرش ما يقارب 2000 دونم زراعية، بحسب بيانات وزارة الزراعة الفلسطينية. لا تقتصر خطورة عمليات الرش على المفاجأة في توقيتها، والتي عادة ما تأتي دون تحذير أو إنذار مسبق، خصوصاً وأن الرذاذ المتطاير من عمليات الرش يمتد ليشمل مساحات واسعة، يساعدها في ذلك حالة عوامل متعددة تساهم في زيادة الرقعة المتضررة وتوسيع نطاقها، مثل سرعة الرياح واتجاهها.
تشكل عمليات الرش تهديدا مباشرا للمزارعين الفلسطينيين سواء على صعيد فقدانهم مصدر الدخل الرئيسي لهم، حيث تتعرض المزروعات للتلف وتلحق الضرر بالثروة الحيوانية مثل المواشي والطيور التي تتغدى على الاعشاب في تلك المناطق بالإضافة لكون هذه المواد الكيمائية المستخدمة مواد مانعة للإنبات.
تتذرع قوات الاحتلال بمزاعم وذرائع واهية في تبريرها لعمليات الرش، وذلك للقضاء على الأعشاب والنباتات التي تنمو قرب السياج الفاصل، وهو ما يتسبب في اتلاف مساحات واسعة من الأراضي الزراعية، ويحول دون قدرة المزارعين في تلك المناطق على استغلال ارضيهم وممارسة اعمالهم، وهو ما يعني أن سلطات الاحتلال تستهدف الأراضي الزراعية في القطاع بشكل متعمد، اضافة الى ما تقوم به بين الحين والأخر من عمليات توغل وتجريف داخل اراضي المواطنين ، وهو ما يثير الاستفهام حول جدوى استخدامها للمبيدات الكيميائية في رش الأعشاب مع قيامها بعمليات التجريف المستمرة بين الحين والأخر.
سياق المشكلة السياساتية
أولاً: المناطق والمساحات التي تطالها عمليات الرش.
تشكل سياسة رش الأراضي الزراعية على طول المناطق مقيّدة الوصول شرقا في بالمبيدات الكيميائية التي تنتهجها سلطات الاحتلال بحق أراضي المواطنين الفلسطينيين تحدياً مصيرياً لمئات المزارعين الذين يعتمدون على الزراعة في إعالة أسرهم، كما تشكل جزء من العقاب الجماعي لسكان القطاع الذين يقبعون تحت حصار للعام الـ 13 على التوالي، ووفقا لمنظمات حقوقية فلسطينية ، فإن سلطات الاحتلال تتعمد رش الأراضي الزراعية بشكل منظم وممنهج خلال الفترة من نوفمبر وحتى إبريل مستهدفة المزروعات الشتوية حيث تحلق طائرات الاحتلال على مستويات منخفضة وتتوغل داخل أراضي المزارعين لمسافات مختلفة لرش المبيدات تصل لعمق حوالي 2000م. كما تعمد سلطات الاحتلال لإشعال إطارات الكاوتشوك للتأكد من اتجاه الريح، لتزيد من مساحة الأراضي التي يصلها رذاذ المبيد. ووفقا لمؤسسات حقوقية في قطاع غزة، فأن هذا النوع من الطائرات التي تستخدمها سلطات الاحتلال بإمكانها حمل من 800-400 غالون من المبيد، كما بإمكانها أن تطير ما بين 160-120 ميل في الساعة، وهذا يساعد في توسيع مساحة الأراضي التي تتأثر بالمبيدات. في تشرين الثاني / نوفمبر 2016 ، واستجابة لطلب حرية المعلومات الذي قدمته منظمة مسلك غير الحكومية ، أكدت وزارة الدفاع الإسرائيلية أن مبيدات الأعشاب الجوية يتم رشها على طول محيط غزة. يجري الرش الجوي بين معبر إيريز في الشمال وكيرم أبو سالم في الجنوب ، على مساحة تقدر بـ 12 ألف دونم.
ثانيا: المواد المستخدمة في عمليات الرش الجوي.
بحسب الخبير البيئي "جورج كرزم" ، فإن قوات الاحتلال تقوم برش المناطق مقيّدة الوصول بخليط من مواد مادة "غليفوسات، وأوكسيجال، وديوريكس"، كما أن مبيدات الأعشاب التي يرشها الجيش الإسرائيلي على أراضي المزارعين في غزة، قد تبقى في التربة دون تحلل لبضع سنوات، وأوضح الخبير أنه وبشكل عام تعد مبيدات الأعشاب مسرطنة وقد تتسبب بتشوهات جينية وخلقية وتناسلية. ووفقا لما ذكرته الوكالة الدولية لأبحاث السرطان (IARC) التابعة لمنظمة الصحة العالمية، في تقرير لها فأن مادة "الغاليفوسات" المادة الفعالة في العديد من مبيدات الأعشاب المستخدمة من قبل الجيش هي مادة مسرطنة .
ثالثا: أثر رش المبيدات على قطاع الزراعة.
يتسبب رش المبيدات الكيميائية على الأراضي الزراعية في قطاع غزة في إتلاف وتشوية بعض المحاصيل، كما يتسبب في تغيير لون عدد منها كونه يتغلل في جذورها، ويظهر ذلك بوضوح في النباتات الورقية مثل "السبانخ، البقدونس، البازيلاء، اللفت، الملفوف، الكوسا، القمح، الشعير،.."، كما تتسب المواد التي يتم رشها لاسيما مادة " غليفوسات" المسرطنة في إعدام التربة وعدم صالحيتها للزراعة وهو ما يؤدي بخسائر للمزارعين، ولقد بلغ إجمالي خسائر المزارعين جراء رش سلطات الاحتلال الراضي المزارعين بالمبيدات منذ مطلع العام 2020 وحتى لحظة إعداد الورقة حوالي 379.670$.
في ضوء ما تقدم، تطرح هذه الورقة الخيارات السياساتية التالية للجهات الفلسطينية والدولية ذات العلاقة، في محاولة منها لوضع بدائل وطرح اقتراحات للمساعدة في خلق سياسات داعمة للمزارعين الفلسطينيين في المناطق مقيّدة الوصول، وتفترض هذه الورقة أن الأطروحات التي ستقدمها يمكن العمل بها بالتزامن، حتى تنتج أثرها بشكل فعّال خلال فترة زمنية معقولة
البديل الأول: تدويل قضية الزراعة في المناطق الحدودية وطرحها أمام الجهات الدولية
يتبنى هذا البديل طرح القضية أمام المجتمع الدولي سواء في مجلس حقوق الإنسان، أو منظمة الصحة العالمية، وغيرها من الوكالات الدولية، وذلك لمطالبة المجتمع الدولي للقيام بواجباته القانونية والأخلاقية في التصدي للسياسات الإسرائيلية، واتخاذ إجراءات فاعلة لوقف الانتهاكات الإسرائيلية بحق المزارعين الفلسطينيين، وضرورة إلزام دولة الاحتلال بوقف رش المبيدات السامة، إضافة لبحث إمكانية الحصول على تعويضات من دولة الاحتلال للخسائر التي تتسبب بها للمزارعين.
البديل الثاني: تبني سياسات وتدخلات وطنية لتعزيز صمود المزارع الفلسطيني في تلك المناطق
ويستند هذا البديل إلى تعزيز صمود المزارع الفلسطيني، وتمكينه من معالجة آثار عملية الرش الإسرائيلية، وتحمل الخسائر التي يتعرض لها المزارع جراء السلوك الإسرائيلي وذلك من خلال إيجاد صندوق لدعم المزارع الفلسطيني يساهم في تعويضه عن الأضرار التي يتعرض لها، ورفع الضرائب عن الاحتياجات الزراعية للمزارعين في تلك المناطق، وتوفير نقط طبية لمساعدة المزارع في معالجة أثار الرش وتداعياتها على المحصول الزراعي. ولتوفير العلاج المناسب للثروة الحيوانية في تلك المناطق. ويمكن التعاون مع العديد من الجهات الدولية في هذا الإطار لتمويل ذلك الصندوق، وتوفير المواد المضادة للرش من قبلها.
أبرز التوصيات:
- ضرورة فتح تحقيق دولي من قبل لجان مختصة لمعرفة طبيعة المواد الكيماوية التي يتم رشها من قبل طائرات الاحتلال على الأراضي الزراعية، لمعرفة مخاطرها على التربة والبيئة وصحة المواطنين، الأمر الذي يسهل تكييف هذا الاعتداء وتبعاته بموجب القانون الدولي.
- الطلب من منظمة الصحة العالمية ومنظمة الأغذية الدولية إنشاء مختبرات علمية في قطاع غزة وتطوير القدرات الفلسطينية لفحص طبيعة المواد الكيماوية التي يتم استهداف الأراضي الزراعية عبرها، وتزويد المزارعين بمواد لحماية تربتهم من الموت بسبب ذلك.
- ضرورة تنفيذ القرار بقانون رقم (12) لسنة 2013م بشأن صندوق درء المخاطر والتأمينات الزراعية.
- تجنيب القطاع الزراعي كافة العمليات والأنشطة العسكرية، والسماح للمزارعين باستخدام أراضيهم الزراعية على المناطق الحدودية لقطاع غزة.
- اتخاذ كافة الاجراءات المتاحة في سبيل إنهاء الحصار المفروض على قطاع غزة، وضمان مساءلة مرتكبي الانتهاكات الجسيمة لحقوق الإنسان.
تأتي هذه الورقة ضمن أنشطة مشروع "الشباب الفلسطيني كمدافعين عن حقوق الإنسان" ، و أن الاتحاد الأوروبي غير مسؤول عما ورد بها من معلومات.
Fact Sheet: Effects of Spraying Chemical Herbicides on Agricultural Lands Adjacent to the Israeli Security Fence
Date posted: July 07, 2021
By MIFTAH
Facts:
- At the beginning of every year, Israel sprays chemical herbicides along the Gaza security fence, which extends to about 40 kilometers east of the Gaza Strip.
- Agriculture is the main source of livelihood and income of border area inhabitants. The area of agricultural lands on the borderline comprises 25% of the total agricultural area in the Gaza Strip, which is considered the main source of food therein.
- The total area of lands whose crops are damaged as a result of spraying herbicides is about 2,000 dunums. In 2020, the amount of physical damage to crops due to spraying toxic herbicides was 1.25 million U.S. Dollars.
- In the 2014-2018 period, Israeli chemical herbicides caused the destruction of 13,723 dunums of agricultural land.
- The area considered by Israel as a “buffer zone” between the fence and the Gaza Strip – which extends 300 meters into the Gaza lands – constitutes 25% of Gaza’s GDP. This area is the only source of livelihood for hundreds of poor families, whereas it mainly includes cultivated lands and represents a main food basket for the residents of Gaza. A total of about 30,000 Palestinian farmers work in this area.
- Israel conducts sudden spraying operations without prior warning in the months of April and December of each year. During these operations, Israel uses substances like Oxygal and Glyphosate, which are herbicides that destroy the vegetation and germination of plants. The droplets of these sprayed materials reach as far as 1,200 meters inside the Gaza Strip, thereby damaging winter and summer crops and plants and leading to substantial losses for Gaza’s farmers. In fact, the sprayed substances can stay inside the soil for 70-80 days as they take a long time to decompose. These substances also affect the quality of the soil and they weaken its fertility and cause serious damages to it.
- According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) guide issued by the Israeli manufacturer of Oxygal, this substance can cause severe irritation if it comes in contact with the skin or eyes, whereas it must be used with special caution after isolating all living creatures from sprayed areas. This substance can also affect the livestock and damage their offspring and breeding. Therefore, the spraying process is a great threat to livestock, of which more than 70% are located on the borderline. Sudden spraying operations also affect and destroy beehives in the area.
- It is worth noting that the Israeli Supreme Court prohibited the use of these substances after a spraying operation was carried out in 2007 by the Israel Land Administration in fields belonging to unrecognized villages in the Negev. During its ruling, the Court considered these substances as a threat to the life and health of creatures (including human beings) and harmful to crops.
- The spraying of agricultural lands with chemical herbicides mainly takes places in two periods each year (December-January and April), in order to inflict maximum damage on winter and summer crops.
- Spraying operations are conducted in an abrupt manner without prior warning to farmers, and with the use of chemicals whose safety period is unknown.
- The Glyphosate substance is an active component in many herbicides used by Israel against Gaza’s agricultural lands. This substance can cause tumors/cancer in human beings.
- In the period of 11-22 January 2020, Israeli planes continuously sprayed chemical herbicides on agricultural lands east of the Gaza Strip,.
Negative Effects of Herbicides on Farmers and Agricultural Lands
- Herbicides pose a direct threat to the lives of creatures (human beings and livestock) if the latter eat plants that were sprayed with these chemicals. For example, these substances can cause an unnatural increase in weight in a dangerous manner.
- Many Palestinians lost their food security due to Israeli policies that aim to inflict damage on agricultural lands east of the Gaza Strip (especially in Khan Younis). These policies also affect Palestinian developmental plans because the agricultural sector is one of the most important developmental sectors in the country.
- Israel forces the farmers of the area to abandon their lands and lose their main source of income, thereby leading to their impoverishment and unemployment and undermining the economic and social stability of their families.
Recommendations
- Urge the global community and international organizations, especially the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO), to conduct extensive investigations to expose the devastating effects of spraying herbicides. These parties should also perform their legal and moral duty of holding the Occupying Power accountable for the substantial damage to the agricultural sector in the Gaza Strip.
- Call on the international community to assist the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture in establishing a special laboratory for analyzing plants that were subjected to herbicide spraying by the Israeli Army.
- Call upon the Human Rights Council and all relevant international organizations, agencies and bodies to take the necessary measures to stop the aerial spraying of herbicides.
- Adopt a clear mechanism for supporting the resilience of farmers east of Khan Younis and compensating them for their suffered damages. This mechanism should also assist in soil development and rehabilitation by providing agricultural antidotes to help farmers confront the harmful effects of Israeli herbicides.
References:
To View the Full Fact Sheet as PDF
This factsheet was prepared as part of the “Youth as Human Right Defenders” project funded by the European Union The content of this document does not reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Responsibility for the information and views expressed in the study lies entirely with MIFTAH.
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.
