Shir Hever writes the Economy of the Occupation bulletin for the AIC and is completing his Master's at the Cohen Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas, Tel Aviv University.
Sunday, 12 November 2006
http://alternativenews.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=610&Itemid=1
Sorrow and loss penetrate the lives of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, as their deaths continue to accumulate at an alarming rate. In such times, economic issues usually take a back seat. Compared to the daily loss of human lives due to Israeli military attacks, discussion of monetary losses and damaged infrastructure might appear petty or inappropriate.
Yet, despite the sorrow and outrage, we must also think about the material aspects of Israel’s devastation. The deaths from the Israeli bombings are terrible, but deaths from malnutrition, water poisoning and disease—a result of the economic damage of these bombings—must also be taken into consideration. Even before Israel escalated its attacks, Gaza was in the midst of an economic crisis. The poverty rate in Gaza was estimated at 74 percent, unemployment was at 44 percent, wages were falling and malnutrition rising.
Since the beginning of Israel’s “Summer Rain” military operation, and later with this past week’s “Autumn Clouds” operation, almost every aspect of the Gazan economy has been jeopardized by Israel. Food prices have fluctuated wildly with the frequent occurrence of food shortages; aid shipments are being blocked at the Israeli checkpoints; roads and houses are damaged; and phone and electricity lines have been disconnected.
The Gaza Strip is currently under siege by Israel, and movement to and from the area is blocked by air, land and sea by the Israeli military. Gaza, which does not have the resources for self-sufficiency, has no ability to supply its citizenry’s basic needs for food, water and health services. And the high population density, shortage of water and damaged infrastructure make Gaza’s population even more dependent on outside help to survive.
Though Israel continuously bombs Gaza, it also allows a carefully controlled supply-line of humanitarian aid to enter the strip. The aid—primarily food—comes from international donors and reaches the Palestinians in Gaza only after Israel levies taxes from the aid. Israel thus makes a profit off the economic hardship it generates in Gaza.
Yet, the aid only staves off the full brunt of the humanitarian catastrophe lurking around the corner. Under the raining bombs of Israel, almost no economic development can take place. This means that the Palestinian economy in Gaza continues to deteriorate and its dependency on international aid increases steadily.
Let us not forget that as long as Israel controls the Gaza Strip, it is responsible for the economic welfare of the Palestinian population. Though Israel disavows this responsibility, Israel owes the Palestinians in Gaza for forty years of arrested development and for the current destruction of the Palestinian economy.
There is a realistic possibility that the international community might not continue to provide aid to the Palestinians indefinitely. And if international aid trickles to a halt while Israel continues to deny its responsibility, mass famine will certainly occur. However, if the international community would clarify that it still views Israel as fully responsible for the Gaza Strip, it is doubtful that Israel will be able to continue to so readily sow widespread devastation there. After all, Israel would then eventually have to pay the bill not only for the cost of the bombs it drops, but for the cost of the infrastructure destroyed by those bombs.
That said, it is obvious that humanitarian issues do not deter Israel from committing atrocities. Therefore, in order to bring the attacks to a halt, the best approach is to target the government’s economic policies, and to impress upon Israeli policymakers that they cannot continue to participate in normal international trade while attacking civilian populations at the same time.
Sources: Ha’aretz newspaper, Palestinian Center for Human Rights, UN Reports, World Bank.