De Israelische Terreur 41

De Electronic Intifada bericht: 'UN rights expert paints dire picture of situation in Occupied Palestinian TerritoryReport, UN News.

The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) has substantially deteriorated since a cut-off of international funding after Hamas won elections earlier this year, unemployment and poverty are rising, critical health services are in jeopardy and some Israeli actions seem to be dictated by vindictiveness “to humiliate and harass,” according to the latest reports issued by United Nations human rights experts.“In effect the Palestinian people have been subjected to economic sanctions - the first time that an occupied people have been so treated,” the Special Rapporteur on human rights in the OPT, John Dugard said, calling it “possibly the most rigorous form of international sanctions imposed in modern times.”He called for intensified diplomatic action by the UN and European Union (EU) in view of the United States’ failure to play the needed role. “Hamas’ refusal to recognize Israel’s right to exist and renounce violence will not be changed by isolation but by engagement and diplomacy. Unfortunately the United States is unprepared to play the role of peace facilitator,” he wrote in the report on a nine-day visit to the OPT earlier this month.“This leaves the EU and the UN as the obvious honest brokers between Israelis and Palestinians. Whether either of these bodies can play this role while remaining part of the Quartet is questionable,” he added, referring to the diplomatic foursome – EU, Russia, UN and US, who have been seeking a two-state solution to the crisis.Detailing a litany of hardships facing the Palestinians, Mr. Dugard said Gaza is under siege with Israel controlling its airspace, resuming sonic booms “which terrorize and traumatize its people,” increasing targeted killing of militants that have resulted in death and injury to innocent bystanders, and expanding the no-go border area to enable it to prevent the firing of Qassam rockets by Palestinian militants.' Lees verder: http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4839.shtml