Heide is doing a work placement for Viva Salud with our Palestinian partner organisation Bisan Center for Research and Development. In this article, she explains four things you probably didn't know about the current situation in Palestine.
2022 is the deadliest year in Palestine since 2006
With two months to go, 2022 is already the deadliest year for decades in Palestine. The figures are mind-boggling and increasing by the day. The average monthly number of deaths in 2022 increased by 57 % compared with last year. In October alone, no fewer than 26 people were killed by the Israeli occupation army during search and arrest operations, shootings or clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians. Eight of them were children. This makes October the deadliest month in 2022 for children in the Palestinian West Bank. Since the beginning of the year, Israeli forces have also arrested 5,300 Palestinians for resisting the occupation.. However, Palestinian resistance is perfectly legal under international law. Nothing can justify the murderous violence of Israeli troops.
A new resistance movement is making itself heard from Palestine
Systematic daily violence in the occupied territories is on the increase. But where there is repression and oppression, there is also resistance. In Nablus, the second largest city in the West Bank, a new resistance movement is emerging. Called the« lion's den« The movement is attracting a huge following. The movement emerged in August as a reaction to the death of a young resistance fighter. It is a mix of young people from different political backgrounds. The Israeli occupation army tried to stifle the resistance, killing all the movement's founders and attempting to liquidate its leaders. Many young people showed their solidarity. They supported and joined the movement. In two months, the movement has grown from around 20 to 250 members.
Israel presses for illegal collective punishment
In recent weeks, the Palestinians have made their voice heard loud and clear against the illegal Israeli occupation. They are getting organised and taking to the streets. For their part, the Israeli occupying forces are trying to control the situation. They are acting repressively and spreading fear to stifle resistance. For example, Israel uses collective punishments. These are punishments imposed on an entire community for the actions of individual members within that community. This is illegal under international law. For example, the city of Nablus has been under total siege for 18 days and it doesn't look like this is going to stop any time soon. The town is completely isolated. People are not allowed to enter or leave the town, and even emergency medical aid is blocked. Palestinian social organisations criticising these actions are also being attacked. Unfortunately, these systematic attacks on Palestinians are no exception. They are an integral part of the Israeli occupation and apartheid.
Apartheid and occupation damage health
The Israeli government has been silencing critical Palestinian voices and social organisations for years. Our partners know all about this. The organisations Health Work Committees (HWC), Bisan and Awda are the targets of repression for defending the rights and health of Palestinians. The direct impact on people's health is enormous. Bisan's research shows this.
The number of‘Awda, HWC and Bisan have shrunk significantly over the last decade. As have their budgets. As a result, they are able to reach fewer Palestinians with their work. Because of Israeli repression, for example, the HWC has had to close all its mobile clinics. Bisan estimates that, as a result, the HWC is providing health services to 67,000 fewer Palestinians, particularly in remote areas. The consequences are clear. In the occupied Palestinian territories, the average life expectancy of Palestinians is only 74 years, whereas the average life expectancy of Jewish citizens of Israel is 82.7 years. A difference of almost a decade. The conclusion is clear: apartheid and occupation damage health and kill.
Activists, health workers, health organisations and social movements defending the right to health in Palestine and elsewhere are victims of repression. We cannot be healthy unless they are safe. They're not targets! Show your support by taking a photo with a message for our partners and the hashtags #NotATarget and #DefendtheDefenders and send this photo to victor@vivasalud.be.
