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Collective punishment, say Palestinians

DUBAI: Israel’s Defence Minister Ehud Barak has approved sanctions against the Gaza Strip to discourage rocket attacks from the territory on Israel.

The decision has led to an outcry among Palestinians who have described these measures as “collective punishment.” The United Nations humanitarian organisations have also decried the move.

By declaring the Gaza strip as “hostile,” Israel says it is now no longer obliged to abide by international law that governs administration of occupied territories, including supply of essential

utilities.

However, this position has been contested in international legal

circles, since two years after its withdrawal, Israel still controls

Gaza’s airspace, waters and borders.

Israeli officials say that sanctions would mean a cut in the supply of electricity. Power would be cut at first for 15 minutes after each

rocket attack and then for longer periods. From Sunday, Gaza received diminished fuel supplies from Israel.

The supply of diesel dropped from the usual 3,50,000 litres per day to 2,00,000 litres. Similarly, daily petrol supply dwindled to 90,000 litres from 1,50,000 litres.

Anticipating growing shortages of fuel, the Palestinians stood in long lines to stock up supplies. Israel first imposed an economic embargo on Gaza in June after the Islamist militant group, Hamas, seized control over the territory from the rival Fatah group.

A top United Nations humanitarian official also rejected the

enforcement of sanctions. “I would appeal to Israel to relax these

restrictions [and] to lift the economic blockade on Gaza,” said U.N. Deputy Secretary General John Holmes. He pointed out that quantum of humanitarian convoys entering Gaza had reduced by 50 per cent in September compared to 3,000 in July. “In term of famine, we are not there, but there is a serious humanitarian crisis,” he said.

In other developments in Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, in its early stages. “I will be able to fulfil duties fully before my treatment and hours afterward,” Mr Olmert said at a press conference. “My doctors told me that I have full chances of recovery.”

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