January 29, 2008

Church World Service has been responding to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territories through Action by Churches Together International and long-time partner the Middle East Council of Churches' Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees.

In particular, Church World Service support has focused on providing supplementary food and health services to the most vulnerable families. This work is part of a continuing emergency response appeal for emergency needs in Gaza, as well as the West Bank, that Church World Service issued in mid-2007. CWS is also advocating for a two-state solution--a secure Israel and a viable Palestinian state with recognized borders, peaceful neighbor states living side-by-side. (Please see our related Speak Out advocacy alert, and contact your Senators on this important issue.)

Dr. Bernard Sabella, the executive secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches' Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees, says that political talks between Palestinians and Israel over the Gaza Strip situation are urgently needed. "What steps need to be taken to return Gaza to some sort of 'normalcy' depend on the wisdom of leading people in the Palestinian Territories and policymakers in Israel," Dr. Sabella said, explaining that "without communicating the urgency and stressing the need to relieve Gaza of its present conditions, nothing will transpire."

Dr. Sabella also said that there is need for a political solution to the situation in which rockets from Gaza are hitting towns in southern Israel; however, he said, imposing a siege on Gaza and punishing 1.5 million inhabitants will not help in stopping the launching of rockets. He is encouraging Palestinians to unite in seeking a political solution.

Mr. Constantine Dabbagh, the executive director of the Near East Council of Churches (NECC) based in Gaza, reported prior to the breach of the Egypt/Gaza border wall that bakeries that used to distribute bread regularly and fairly easily are now unable to do so because of fuel shortages, with long queues of people hoping to get their daily staple.

The breaches in the Gaza border with Egypt, near the town of Rafah, have only modestly and temporarily relieved some of the emergency pressure for food, fuel, and other supplies within Gaza.

The three primary health clinics of the Gaza Strip reportedly have adequate medical supplies for the moment. However, with electricity shortages, the much-needed refrigerators used in the clinics are in jeopardy. This applies to hospitals and other health facilities across Gaza.

As with much of the area, the NECC offices in Gaza City is without electricity, with only a limited supply of fuel for a generator. Due to fuel shortages, many staff cannot find transportation to work. This is also true for the majority of the people of Gaza.

Another implication of the power shortages is that people living in high-rise buildings are without elevator services, which poses a particular challenge for the elderly and sick residents, as well as for pregnant women.

Mr. Dabbagh also reported that he had called for a special emergency meeting with the NECC Gaza Area Committee in order to decide which services could be stopped if the emergency situation continues.

Mr. Yusef Daher, executive secretary of the Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre -- which represents the thirteen Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant churches in Jerusalem, Israel, and Palestine -- has appealed to the international community and to Israel to end the siege of Gaza, citing the one and a half million people under siege without proper food or medicine. The Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre also called on the Palestinian leadership to unite and end their differences for the sake of their people in Gaza.

Media Contact: Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; lcrosson@churchworldservice.org Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526; jdragin@gis.net