Posted on 02/22/2007 3:46:12 AM PST by Alouette
The Independent quotes UN report as saying that some action taken by Palestinian families to continue to feed themselves amid economic siege on Hamas-led government- including sale of land, jewelry and other assets - will have an ‘irreversible impact on livelihoods’
Ynetnews Published: 02.22.07, 10:02 / Israel News
Around 46 percent of Gaza and West Bank households are "food insecure" or in danger of becoming so, The Independent quoted a UN report as saying.
According to The Independent, the unpublished draft report on the impact of the global boycott of the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority says the problem "is primarily a function of restricted economic access to food resulting from ongoing political conditions."
The Independent said the report “paints a bleak picture of the impact on food consumption and expenditure throughout the occupied Palestinian territories.” The situation is "more grim" in Gaza where four out of five families have reduced their spending - including on food - in the first quarter of last year alone, the report said.
The report, according to the British newspaper’s online edition, acknowledges that "traditionally strong ties" among Palestinian families tend to reduce the possibility of "acute household hunger".
However, the report warns that against a background of decreasing food security since the beginning of the Intifada since 2000 and the loss of PA salaries because of the boycott there are now "growing concerns about the sustainability of Palestinians' resilience," The Independent said.
'Slow but steady growth in actual malnutrition'
The UN report says 34 percent of households - with income below $1.68 per day and/or showing decreasing food expenditures - are "food insecure," said The Independent. The UN’s World Food Program officially defines "food security" as "the ability of a household to produce and/or access at all times the minimum food needed for a healthy and active life."
According to The Independent, the report points out that some action taken by families to continue to feed themselves - including the “sale of land, jewelry and other assets" - will have an "irreversible impact on livelihoods."
It also points out that limitations to PA budget support, the private sector and job programs because of the boycott are likely to exacerbate Palestinians' dependency on humanitarian assistance and postpone sustainable improvement," the article said.
The report details dietary changes by many to ensure enough to eat, including reductions in consumption of fruits, sweets, olive oil, and - normally a staple in Gaza – fish, adding that for other families - including "new poor" suffering from loss of PA incomes - there has been a "decrease in the quality of and/or quantity of food consumed."
The UN report comes against a background in which a 2004 survey of Palestinian households showed a "slow but steady" growth in actual malnutrition - as measured by reduced growth, vitamin deficiencies, anemia and other indicators - among a minority of the population, The Independent said.
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
----------------------------
The schools don't teach any useful skills. Just hatred for civilization and their "holy" book. Hence, no real work available....
Damn - bring back the Jews!
Have you noticed that the world is SO RICH, that activists can no longer find actual "starving" people. They can't even find "hungry" people. They can only find people who aren't completely sure they know where future meals come from AND EVEN WORSE, people are ARE completely sure where their future meals will come from, but MAY at some point no longer be sure...
It's not that they can't find any, they just don't want to look in Zimbabwe and North Korea.
Food simply can't be in short supply there. It is a duped UN seeing what they want to see.
There are an estimated 100 working tunnels connecting Gaza with Egypt at any one time. If food was in short supply the smugglers would be bringing in food items instead of weapons, since food would have a greater value. Smugglers the world over seldom have a serious ideological bent (except Commies and Muzzies, I guess).
Gaza has at least 25 miles of shoreline along the Med. The Israeli Navy does not stop any fishing boats from going out to fish, but is not real fond of boats that return with their holds full of HE and missles.
If they didn't sell their jewelry for food, they'd have to use some of their guns & ammo money.
Let them eat semtex.
Get a job.
They can't do that...It's torture !
I'm tempted to use Sam Kinison's line: "Move to where the food is!"
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.