Don’t let the world forget Palestine
Palestinian are being deprived of their rights including land ownership and subjected to cyclical and disproportional use of military force.
Problem
Failure to address the root causes of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians fuels more distrust, violence, restrictions on mobility and economic activity, and military solutions which disproportionately impact the security, well-being and rights of the Palestinian people.
Solution/Action
We need to keep up the pressure. Do not let the world forget Palestine.We commend the Irish government for its condemnation of violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and urge it, bilaterally and through the multilateral system, to maintain its role as a critical advocate for the protective needs and rights of the Palestinian people.
The people of Palestine
Among those who fled their homes during the Israeli airstrikes and shelling were Nael and his young children. Along with others, they took shelter in UNRWA school, leaving themselves at risk of contracting Covid-19.
Days after the ceasefire, around 100,000 Palestinians displaced by the bombing were attempting to return home. But even if their homes were still standing, life for them would not be normal.
It turns out that in the days after the fighting ended, 400,000 people had no access to regular water supply. Eleven days of bombardment devastated electricity and water services and severely impacted the three main desalination plants in Gaza city.
Water is doubly important during this critical phase of the Coronavirus pandemic, to help people limit the spread of Covid-19.
Responding to emergencies
In 2020, with support from the Irish people through the Irish Aid programme, we were the first Oxfam affiliate to respond to the threat of Covid-19, delivering essential, life-saving supplies to the people of Gaza.
In 2021, our work will extend to rehabilitating three public healthcare centres which serve the needs of more than 150,000 people; developing a maintenance and operational plan for 543 wells, water pumping stations, desalination plants and water treatment plants serving over two million people, and providing food vouchers or cash grants to vulnerable families.
