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The Impact Ofthe Barrier on Health

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The Impact Ofthe Barrier on Health UNITED NATIONS WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION Ofce for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs West Bank & Gaza Ofce occupied Palestinian territory occupied Palestinian territory SPECIAL FOCUS July 2010 Photo by Ahed Izhiman, WHO Ahed Izhiman, Photo by Ambulance waiting at a Barrier checkpoint for a patient from the West Bank. SIX YEARS AFTER THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE ADVISORY OPINION ON THE BARRIER THE IMPACT OF THE BARRIER ON HEALTH Because of the extensive humanitarian impact of the fth anniversary of the ICJ opinion in July 2009. Barrier, OCHA has been monitoring and reporting This year, in conjunction with the World Health on a!ected Palestinian communities in the West Organization (WHO), the update will focus on the Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 2003. The impact of the Barrier on health, in particular patient current update summarises the main ndings of and sta! access to the specialized medical facilities this research, while outlining developments since only available in East Jerusalem. the last Barrier report, issued on the occasion of the THE BARRIER: BACKGROUND AND CURRENT STATUS OF CONSTRUCTION In summer 2002, following a campaign of suicide from the Green Line.3 The area left on the western bombings by Palestinian militants, the Government side of the Barrier includes 80 of the 149 se"lements of Israel approved construction of a Barrier to and over 85 percent of the total se"ler population in prevent suicide bombers from entering Israel. The the West Bank (including East Jerusalem). Barrier’s total length is 707 km, more than twice the length of the 1949 Armistice Line (Green Line) Since the last OCHA Barrier report, construction between the West Bank and Israel.1 Approximately of new sections has almost completely halted as a 61.4% of the 707-kilometre-long Barrier is complete; result of a number of nancial constraints, concerns a further 8.4% is under construction and 30.1% is raised by the international community and lack planned but not yet constructed.2 When completed, of demand by Israeli society.4 Most of the recent the majority of the route, approximately 85%, will construction involved re-routings ordered by the run inside the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli High Court of Justice (HCJ). In addition, rather than along the Green Line. new construction has taken place in the north of East Jerusalem and in the northwest of Bethlehem The total area located between the Barrier and the governorate. Green Line amounts to 9.4% of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and No Man’s land (See It was the route of the Barrier, rather than the map: West Bank Barrier Route Projections). The structure itself, which was the subject of the protection of Israeli se"lements, including areas International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion planned for their future expansion, constituted the in 2004. (See box on page 4). The intrusive route, major factor for the deviation of the Barrier’s route together with its associated permit and gate regime, Photo by Patrick Zoll, WHO Patrick Zoll, Photo by Barrier construction scarring the landscape in Al Walaja, northwest of Bethlehem in June 2010. 2 SPECIAL FOCUS July 2010 OCHA-WHO Barrier update United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs LEBANON United Nations Ofce for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs SYRIA WestWest Bank Bank Barrier Barrier Route Route Projections Projections July 2010 July 2010 West Bank Gaza Strip JORDAN ISRAEL Barta'a enclave ! EGYPT Area Affected r The Barrier’s total length is 707 km, more than e v i twice the length of the 1949 Armistice Line R (Green Line) between the West Bank and Israel. n W e s t B a n k a d r o The total area located between the Barrier J and the Green Line is 9.4% of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and No Man's Land. Qedumim Qalqilya Finger When completed, approximately 15% of the Barrier will be constructed on the Green Line or in Israel with 85% inside the West Bank. Bidya Area Populations Affected Ari’el Finger If the Barrier is completed based on the current route: Az Zawiya Enclave Approximately 33,000 Palestinians holding West Bank ID cards in 36 communities will be located between the Barrier and the Green Line. The majority of Palestinians with East Jerusalem ID cards will reside between the Barrier and the Green Line. However, Bir Nabala Enclave Biddu Palestinian communities inside the current Area municipal boundary, Kafr Aqab and Shu'fat No Man's Land Camp, are separated from East Jerusalem by the Barrier. Ma’ale Green Line Adumim Settlement Jerusalem Bloc Approximately126,000 Palestinians will be surrounded by the Barrier on three sides. These comprise 31 communities; the Biddya and Biddu areas, and the city of Qalqilya. ISRAEL Approximately 28.000 Palestinians in 9 Gush a communities in the Az Zawiya and Bir Nabala Etzion e Enclaves will be surrounded on four sides Settlement S Bloc by the Barrier, with a tunnel or road d connection to the rest of the West Bank. a e D Barrier Route Completed (434 km or 61.4%) Under construction ne (60 km or 8.4%) Li en re G Planned (213 km or 30.1%) Cartography and Barrier Themes: OCHA-oPt IMU Map July 2010 Kilometers Base data: MoPIC (2000) updates OCHA (2010) 02.5 5 10 Barrier data: OCHA Field work, Reproduction and/or use of this material is only permitted with express reference to "United Nations OCHA oPt" as the source. Shaul Arieli(Councel for Peace and Security),ARIJ, JRC Disclaimer:The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. For comments contact <[email protected]> Tel. +972 (02) 582-9962 http://www.ochaopt.org SPECIAL FOCUS July 2010 3 OCHA-WHO Barrier update is the main cause of the humanitarian impact on Line. Those aged 16 and above require permanent Palestinians. The majority of the area between the resident permits from the Israeli authorities to Barrier and the Green Line has been designated continue to live in their homes.5 Residents have a ‘closed military area’ or ‘Seam Zone’, where to pass through Barrier checkpoints to reach Palestinians have been obliged to obtain ‘visitor’ workplaces and essential services, and to maintain permits to access their farming land and water family and social relations on the ‘Palestinian’ side resources. Access is channelled through a particular of the Barrier. Few health and education services gate designated on the permit. Restricted allocation are available in the closed area: restricted access to of these visitor permits and the limited number and health services is the main focus of this update. The opening times of the Barrier gates have severely Barrier has also adversely a!ected the access of the curtailed agricultural practice and undermined entire population to urban areas, in particular East rural livelihoods. Jerusalem, whose six non-government hospitals are the main providers of routine, emergency, In addition, approximately 7,800 Palestinians reside secondary and tertiary care for Palestinian from the in the closed area between the Barrier and the Green West Bank and Gaza Strip. THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE ADVISORY OPINION On 9 July 2004, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, issued an advisory opinion on the Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The opinion recognised that Israel ‘has the right, and indeed the duty, to respond in order to protect the life of its citizens [but] the measures taken are bound nonetheless to remain in conformity with applicable international law.’6 The ICJ stated that the sections of the Barrier route which ran inside the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, together with the associated gate and permit regime, violated Israel’s obligations under international law. The ICJ called on Israel to cease construction of the Barrier ‘including in and around East Jerusalem’; dismantle the sections already completed; and ‘repeal or render ine!ective forthwith all legislative and regulatory acts relating thereto.’7 The ICJ also called on Israel to ‘make reparations’ for the ‘requisition and destruction of homes, businesses and agricultural holdings’ and ‘to return the land, orchards, olive groves, and other immovable property seized.’8 The Court also obligated member states not to recognize the illegal situation created by the Barrier and to ensure Israel’s compliance with international law. Although this is a non-binding advisory legal opinion on 20 July 2004, the General Assembly overwhelmingly approved Resolution ES-10/15 which demanded that Israel comply with the ICJ opinion. 4 SPECIAL FOCUS July 2010 OCHA-WHO Barrier update RESTRICTING ACCESS TO LAND AND LIVELIHOODS In the northern West Bank, since October 2003, allow farmers to carry out essential year-round Palestinians have been obliged to obtain ‘visitor’ agricultural activities, such as ploughing, pruning, permits to access their farming land between the fertilizing, and pest and weed management. UN Barrier and the Green Line, which was declared monitoring in the northern West Bank has revealed a ‘closed military area’ or ‘Seam Zone’. To obtain that the combination of the restricted allocation a permit, applicants must satisfy the security of ‘visitor’ permits and the limited number and considerations necessary for all Israeli-issued permits opening times of the Barrier gates have severely and submit documents to prove a ‘connection to curtailed agricultural practice and undermined the land.’9 Entry is channelled through an o#cial rural livelihoods.
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