FMR 26 PALESTINIAN DISPLACEMENT 35 Democratic choice punished by Ibrahim Hewitt

The victory of in the January 2006 Palestinian locally through Zakat Committees which are themselves licensed and legislative elections, ’s subsequent decision to audited by the PA Waqf Ministry. withhold tax payments and the refusal of donors to provide funds to the Palestinian Authority (PA) have grave implications for the welfare of individuals, “Although the Palestinian economy is soaking up huge levels of aid for democracy and for Palestinian civil society. from the international community, that aid is simply mitigating the Palestinian incomes have fallen households now depend on some effects of the Israeli blockade. Not by 40% over the last four years. form of humanitarian assistance. only is the international community The economy has been shattered Over two thirds have an income of effectively subsidising the costs of by sieges, curfews, restrictions on less than $2 per person per day. the occupation and relieving Israel, movement of people and goods, and as the occupying power, of the need targetted destruction of infrastructure. Employing 140,000 people, the PA to provide for the ; the is the largest single employer Israeli economy actually benefits in Palestine. The PA employs from those donor funds because 37% of those with employment 45% of every dollar of aid for the in Gaza and 14% of the Palestinians is spent in Israel. From working population of the 2000 to 2004, the aid doubled to . The PA will not almost $1 billion a year, but because be able to pay their salaries of the curfews and closures actual and provide adequate public personal incomes in Palestine fell by sector services, such as those 40%. The economy can recover only if provided by hospitals and external borders are opened, internal schools, with an empty coffer. borders between Gaza and the West The UN fears that prolonged Bank are relaxed and Palestinian suspension of the salaries on labour is allowed into Israel. However, which a million Palestinians Israel continues to control completely depend will encourage all the borders of Gaza, including criminality and lawlessness. that with Egypt and the sea and the air borders … the current Israeli Throughout the occupation government is creating facts on the Interpal Christian and Muslim faith- ground that will completely rule out based institutions have helped a viable and contiguous Palestinian Intimidation by settlers and the Israeli plug gaps. In the OPT a range of state … a series of disconnected army, the construction of the Wall and Islamic schools, orphanages, hospitals Bantustans, totally under the control arbitrary taxes, fines and levies have and clinics work with the PA. In of Israel and totally dependent on it… bankrupted businesses. The 110,000 Islamic schools children use PA Palestinians (22% of the working textbooks and the PA curriculum Israeli strategy is leaving ordinary population) who worked in Israel (with additional classes on Islam). Palestinians with no hope for any or in Israeli settlements before the Islamic schools are licensed by the improvement for their future and second intifada have been replaced by PA Ministry of Education. Without is undercutting moderates in the migrant labour. Tourism has collapsed Islamic institutions for the blind, deaf Palestinian community who want to now that Bethlehem is hemmed in on and handicapped, these groups of find a negotiated solution. People all sides and cut off from Jerusalem. children would receive no education such as President Abbas have almost at all. Many Islamic societies fund and nothing to show to Palestinians Palestine has thus become the most support fatherless children or those as an example of what has been foreign-aid dependent society on abandoned by their fathers. Some delivered through the negotiation earth. With only a negligible local of these are orphans of ‘martyrs’ – a route. Instead, negotiation seems tax base, in 2005 the PA’s budget term used to describe anyone killed to have delivered a worse and of approximately $1.9 billion came by the Israelis whether involved in worse lifestyle for Palestinians. from three main sources: $570 resistance or as a bystander – but they … the temptation is for more and million provided by nations of the also fund orphans of collaborators, more Palestinians to conclude that European Union, $363 million by and children whose fathers die of violence is the only answer.” the US and approximately $55m per disease or accidents. Support can month remitted by Israel from taxes include food parcels, school bags Dr Phyllis Starkey MP, Hansard and customs revenues collected of books and funding for education 26 Oct 2005 : Column 94WH from Palestinians by the occupation or residential care in an orphanage. authorities. Eighty per cent of Most of these projects are funded 36 PALESTINIAN DISPLACEMENT FMR 26 Interpal

Dov Weisglass, an adviser to Ehud by the global war on terror. The motivating the 45% of the Palestinian Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, democratic process dictates that any electorate who voted for Hamas. reflected Israeli policy when he said: party elected fairly and judiciously “The idea is to put the Palestinians by the majority of the people has The humanitarian situation in on a diet, but not to make them die of the legitimacy to rule and must be Palestine is so dire that government- hunger.” Hunger pangs are supposed accorded the courtesies and rights to-government aid alone will not to encourage the Palestinians to befitting an elected government. All be enough to ensure that the basic force Hamas to change its attitude the Western governments which needs of the people are met. Civil towards Israel or force Hamas out of used to work with the previous society must also shoulder the government. Some Western countries Palestinian administration should responsibility of providing help to the are planning to completely bypass engage in dialogue with, and needy. For Muslims this is not just a the PA, channelling aid through other financially support, the current PA. responsibility but an obligation. It is channels such as UNRWA, the World Failure to do so would only penalise an inherent Islamic duty that Muslims Bank and NGOs. Both UK-based the Palestinians for participating must pay zakat (tax on income) and and Palestinian NGOs oppose these in the democratic process – an they are strongly encouraged to also plans. NGOs have a vital role to play extraordinary irony considering give sadaqah (charitable giving). The in augmenting state services but lack that the Palestinian election was politically-motivated impoverishment the capacity to undertake the colossal encouraged by the West, produced an and dispossession of Palestinians task of maintaining the civil service electoral turn-out rate considerably should not just be a concern for and providing public services. NGOs higher than in recent elections in Palestinians, the Arabs or Muslims are not elected bodies. It is neither the US and most of Europe and was but a crisis which must be addressed appropriate nor desirable for NGOs to unanimously endorsed by a massive in the name of humanity by the step into the shoes of local authorities team of international observers. international community – regardless and take on massive responsibilities of nationality, race or creed. for which they are not equipped. The international community must realise that foreign aid would Ibrahim Hewitt is the chair of Interpal, like many other British not be necessary if it were not for Interpal (www.interpal.org), the NGOs, feels that the PA should have Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Palestinian Relief and Development international support no matter which lands. PA ministers have pledged Fund. Founded in 1994 and supporting party is at the helm. It is important that they will not take their own locally-initiated programmes in the to raise public awareness of the salaries until PA employees are paid. OPT, and Lebanon, Interpal is plight of the Palestinian people and This selflessness should remind the largest British charity supplying to counter the negative perceptions Western governments that there humanitarian and development aid to of Islam and Muslims induced was a strong element of altruism Palestinians. Email: [email protected]