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The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil,    but because of the people who don't do anything about it

Occupation magazine - Life under occupation Home page  back Print  Send To friend Physicians for Human Rights-Israel reports on ongoing seige of Gaza and anti-democratic onslaught on Israeli Rights Community Hadas Ziv Physicians for Human Rights 15.01.11 Dear Friends, I would like to present you some of the unique challenges faced by PHR-Israel in recent months. We welcome and queries or feedback on our information. For those of you currently in our region, you are welcomed to join our Mobile Clinics in the Occupied West Bank or our Open Clinic for Status-less people in Jaffa. This update relates to only some of PHR Israel`s struggles and activities. For more information please visit our website: www.phr.org.il I. Gaza – Still Under Closure A new PHR-Israel report on food insecurity in Gaza: Israel`s New Weapon of De-development: “Humanitarian Minimum: Israel’s Role in Creating Food and Water Insecurity in Gaza,” examines the effects of the Israeli blockade policy that began in June 2007 on public health in the Gaza Strip. The report is available in English, and is accompanied by A short photo-story highlighting the main violations, and a postcard addressing the inequality in access to livelihoodcreated by current policies. The postcard (see English translation) is the fifth in a series addressing inequalities in Israel. The report is supported by experts` opinions: Dr. Sara Roy of Harvard University, comments: “The greatest and most damaging aspect of Israeli policy has been the transformation of Palestinians in Gaza especially, from a people entitled to, and capable of, national self-determination and developmental change into a group of aid-dependent paupers worthy only of the humanitarian minimum.” Prof. John Yudkin of University College, London, and Dr. Colleen Doak of the Vrije University in Amsterdam address the deteriorating nutrition and food security as a consequence of the damage to agriculture and fishing, and the restrictions on trade and free movement. Dr. Annette Huber, visiting scholar at Tufts University, USA, writes on the impacts of unsafe water, that `range from immediate life-threatening blue baby syndrome and diarrhea to longer term impacts on health due to high levels of salinity` II. Medical Services & Advocacy for Asylum Seekers Hostages, Torture, and Rape in the Sinai Desert: A PHR-Israel update about recently arriving asylum seekers – available in Italian (see attached) and English: PHR Israel continues to receive asylum seekers in our open clinic. This week, PHR-Israel held an emergency meeting with our clinic`s volunteers (health professionals and others) to review the information we`ve gathered from our questionnaire and discuss strategies for coordinated action. PHR Israel urges the international community to advocate to the Government of Egypt to find and release the refugees and asylum seekers currently held for ransom in the Sinai desert. Once found, we call on the international community to ensure a holistic solution for these people including safe-passage to a third country. PHR Israel continues to with the Ministries of Health and Welfare requesting that they grant asylum seekers residing in Israel, with `social residency` rights that would entitle them to medical and welfare services. Please refer to the following two media features Al Jazeera and the BBC for more information on the issue and PHR-Israel`s response. In order to better face the challenges and address the needs of asylum seekers PHR-Israel appealed to its members and supporters. III. Challenges facing the Israeli Rights Community The Anti-Democratic Onslaught Continues: Most recent attacks on human rights include a Knesset vote (41 to 16) to establish two parliamentary committees of inquiry to probe foreign funding of Israeli organizations that “aid the delegitimization of Israel through harming IDF soldiers.” Also,Israel`s Foreign Minister, Mr. Lieberman, announces a parliamentary committee of inquiry and denounces selected organizations as “aiding terror groups” PHR Israel`s former Chairmain, an Israeli physician originally from Argentina, reponds: Dr. Dani Filc, PHR Israel`s board member, Argentina`s Experience as a Warning on the Dangers of Liebermanism Hadas Ziv blog with a translation of Member of Knesset Member Ben Ari`s hate talk against Human Rights Organizations: Subversive and Proud of It: a comment on dissent published in the Comment Factory This Saturday, January 15th, PHR Israel will take part in a demonstration of the democratic camp, along with many human rights groups, in hope of generating collective action that can reverse the dangerous track along which the country is heading. PHR Israel is activating its members and volunteers to join this important struggle. For example, just a few days ago our chairperson, Prof. Bentwich, was awarded with a lifetime achievement award, a unique opportunity we used to discredit accusations that members of the human rights community are `aid to terror`. If you have any questions about these developments or about any of the information presented above, please do not hesitate to respond, advise, or ask. Please feel free to circulate this message to concerned colleagues and friends. Best regards, Hadas Ziv Director of Public Outreach PHR Israel www.phr.org.il ++972-3-5133112 rh Links to the latest articles in this section Occupation forces injure mourners following funeral of slain infant Mohammad Tamimi Nabi Saleh village assaulted - toddler shot in the head died in hospital Palestinians in the snow: thrown from home into the snow, throw snowballs and get arrested