UN: Palestinians increasingly unable to get enough food

Haaretz ^ | 3/11/2004 | Associated Press

[yonif]

ROME - After three years of Israeli-Palestinian fighting, 40 percent of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip don't have regular access to the food they need, and another 30 percent are at risk of losing that access, a UN report has found.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization said that while food is generally available in the Palestinian territories, residents have limited access to it because of their dwindling personal finances and Israeli security measures, such as curfews, closures and the creation of a security barrier in the West Bank.

In a report dated Thursday, the agency said the food security situation in the territories had "considerably deteriorated" over the past three years, with rising unemployment and increasing poverty levels eroding the ability of the 3.5 million Palestinians in the area to buy enough food.

After violence erupted in September 2000, Israel banned most Palestinians from working in Israel, cutting off a main source of income. Also, Israel imposed roadblocks and other travel restrictions, claiming the measures were necessary to stop Palestinian attackers.

The report found that 40 percent of Palestinians - or 1.4 million people - are now classified as food insecure, meaning they don't have access on a continuing basis to the food they need to live normal and healthy lives.

Another 1.1 million people, or 30 percent, are threatened with becoming food insecure if conditions continue, said the report.

According to the data, per capita incomes among Palestinians fell 23 percent in real terms in 2001 and by the same amount in 2002. That increased the share of the population below the poverty line - calculated at US$2.10 per day - from just over 20 percent in 1999 to around 60 percent in early 2003.

"Economic access to food in terms of the ability to purchase food rather than lack of food is the main constraint to security a healthy nutritious diet," the report said.

The United Nations compiled the data at the request of the Palestinian Authority, conducting an assessment of the food and nutrition situation in the West Bank and Gaza from February through July 2003. It said its findings confirmed other recent studies and would be used to better design and target development programs.

The FAO recommended several ways to improve residents' economic access to food, including a call for a jobs creation program, a public works program to rebuild damaged roads and buildings, and a program to compensate farmers and fisherman for losses during the fighting.

[F.J. Mitchell]

"With any luck, they'll soon be too weak to throw rocks and make bombs."

Or to hate.

[New Horizon]

Here's an idea. Produce your own food.

Oh yeah, I forgot that these animals don't produce, grow, or otherwise contribute anything useful for anybody including themselves.

Well, they do produce homicide bombers.

[Dacus943]

"40 percent of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip don't have regular access to the food they need"

For the street party they had AFTER 9-11... when 100% of Palestinians don't have regular access to breathable air then I might start giving a Sh*t!!!

[solo gringo]

Kofi and Arafat can kiss my royal irish A##.These are common killers nothing could be better for these two killers than fry in a barrel of hog lard.

[Monty22]

"Where's their beloved Yasser and all his money? I just don't understand why people still keep supporting someone like Arafat while he starves his people."

Cause to the palis, killing Jews is more important than food.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

Classic Econ 101, guns of butter. C4 or falafal. Can't have them both, even if the US and EU are picking up the tab.

[Truthfairy]

I think that this is only faint glimpse of where wily Sharon's disengagement plan will ultimately lead. Cut off from the Israeli connection to civilization the murderous parasites that infest Gaza and the West Bank will sink inexorably into a Hobbsean state -- i.e., their lives will become "nasty brutish, and short." What's more, their geographically untenable situation and cultural deficiencies will condemn them to that state until an outside agent with sufficient resources chooses to save them. I expect that when it comes to doing as opposed to talking, other nations will find they have other priorities.

[SJackson]

I expect that when it comes to doing as opposed to talking, other nations will find they have other priorities.

Arab nations, for sure. Means the US will foot the bill, with some EU help.

[Salem]

People just never learn. There are repercussions to/you have to take responsibility for, your actions.

And they want a "state."





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[crazycat]

The next report i want to see from the UN, is that 100 % of the Ramallah compound have no food or water.

Also that the temerature is 140 in the shade and that the one toilet is blocked solid.

[Alouette]

This beyatch could stand to lose a few pounds.

[Solamente]

I have yet to see one skinny Palestinian on TV or any other media. Show me just one!

[tubavil]

Wow! I'm impressed! Excellent post!!

[lainde]

bttt

[tubavil]

And they want a "state."
________

And bush says he'll give it to them.

And mamzer sharon will transfer a few thousand Jews for them.

And kofi will lobby for them.

And the EU will vote for them.

And powell will place his mouth between arabrat's thighs for them.

And the bbc, reuters, the guardian, npr, and cnn will lie for them.

And American universities will indoctrinate for them.

And the satan will cheer for them.

[schmelvin]

I'm not quite up to date on the latest newspeak. What in the blazes does "food insecure" mean??

[sheik yerbouty]

They need a cage.

[Centurion2000]

Let them starve .... bastards danced while we died in 9/11 ... F#$% them.

[goldstategop]

Exactly. I'd say let em starve. They can choose between mass murdering Jews and feeding their own people. I see no reason why they should be able to do both at the same time.

[knighthawk]

Let Koffis' boy feed them, he's loaded

Yeah, or his best buddy Arafat.