Palestinian Non Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) is extremely disappointed by the European Union statement issued by the High Representative/Vice-President Frederica Mogherini on Sunday 5/5/2019 stating: “Indiscriminate rocket attacks from Palestinian militants in Gaza must stop immediately: the European Union reiterates its fundamental commitment to the security of Israel. We express our condolences to the family of all the victims and to the Israeli people, and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded. These attacks provoke unspeakable suffering to the Israelis and serve only the cause of endless violence and of an endless conflict.”
Need to remind the European Union that Palestinians are the ones living under occupation. The Gaza Strip is under blockade for 12 years with $50 million annual loss in agriculture loss due to Israeli access restrictions[1]. 35% of Gaza’s agricultural land and 85% of its fishing waters cannot be accessed[2]. 20 Hours per day of power outages in Gaza last year[3]. 96% of tap water in Gaza is unsafe to drink and 74% of shoreline polluted by raw sewage[4]. Not to mention, most of the population are refugees fled their land and homes in 1948 and now imprisoned in big jail called the Gaza Strip restricted to travel by land, air and sea.
Since Friday 3/5/2019 Israeli occupying forces (IOF) killed 29 Palestinians. 14-month-old Saba Arar was among those killed by IOF. Also 5 month pregnant mother Falastine with her unborn child Abdullah were killed by IOF. Grandmother of Baby Saba; Ma’azouzah Mohammed Abu Arar (72) also killed. The Israeli occupation continuously kills women, children and entire Palestinian families while the international community is unwilling to end Israeli occupation and continues to support Israel.
Between 4-6/5/2019 attacks on Gaza also resulted in: 121 Palestinians injured, 520 forcibly displaced. 75 Palestinian homes completely destroyed, 420 partially destroyed. 5 Press offices, 10 Civilian establishment, 4 medical facilities and a mosque were also attacked by (IOF) airstrikes[5].
PNGO calls upon the EU to take a just stand and hold Israel accountable instead of supporting Israel ongoing occupation policy. Palestinians lives matter and it is their right to live in dignity and freedom.
- Condemn the Israeli ongoing airstrikes against Palestinian civilians, civilian premises and use of weapons on the basis of collective reprisal which constitute a grave violation of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, also amounting to war crimes.
- Protect Palestinian civilians from Israeli war crimes and Israeli military aggression.
- Mobilize joint humanitarian efforts to respond to the dire humanitarian needs in the Gaza Strip especially providing essential adequate health services to injured Palestinians.
End
[1] https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/access-restricted-areas-ara-gaza-strip
[2] Ibid
[3] https://www.ochaopt.org/page/gaza-strip-electricity-supply
[4] https://www.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-impact-internal-palestinian-divide-gaza-strip-june-2017
[5] https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/2874/The-toll-of-Israeli-attack-on-the-Gaza-Strip-starting-from-May-4-6-2019.