HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE BY UNRWA

HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE BY UNRWA

Absolute poverty, characterized by growing unemployment and limited opportunities for the education of Palestinian children, was rising rapidly and disastrously in the occupied territories because of the curfew and blockades imposed by Israel in those areas.  As a result of that situation, there was the fear that victims could be tempted into violent action.

According to Peter Hansen, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), “few places have ever undergone as steep and rapid a decline in income and living standards and as rapid an increase in mass deprivation as the Palestinian population has been experiencing for the past two years”. 

Because of the restrictions, caused by fear and insecurity on the part of Israelis, Palestinian workers often left home never knowing whether they would be allowed to get to their places of work.  They could be turned back by Israeli authorities or they could even have warning shots fired over their heads, indicating that they should not proceed any further.  Before events erupted in October 2000, unemployment stood at about 9 per cent in the occupied territories. Since then it had risen to 50, 60 and 80 per cent in various places.

Addressing correspondents at Headquarters today, he said about 70 per cent of the population were now forced to live below the poverty line, that is, on less than $2 per day, and acute malnutrition was rising among the populace. Malnutrition affected at least 25 per cent of Palestinians, particularly children. Because the people lacked access to health facilities and services, there was the real possibility of epidemics occurring.  Mobile clinics were being used to avert disaster.

There were, he noted, some 700,000 people under curfew in 39 cities, towns, camps and villages.  That situation had served to strangle their economy.  People had been predicting the breaking point for years, but he had no idea what that would be like.  Asked whether the sort of suffering being endured could inspire and express itself in violent action, Mr. Hansen agreed that the desperation caused by such suffering could lead to violent behaviour.

Because the problems were the result of lack of access to job sites, health facilities and schools, UNRWA had been trying to get sufficient passes from Israeli authorities to allow its workers to fulfil their responsibilities to the refugees, but with little success.  In general, too few passes were made available and they were of short duration, thus making it difficult for the Agency to function totally effectively.  “We are living a bureaucratic nightmare”, he said

Nevertheless, over the past two years UNRWA had delivered an additional

$150 million worth of emergency relief to the refugee population in particular.  It had made an appeal for $190 million for 2002.  One bright spot was the contribution by the United Arab Emirates of $27 million for the reconstruction of

the refugee camp at Jenin.  However, whereas UNRWA had received a full response to its emergency appeal in the beginning of 2000, it got only $90 million out of

$172 million for 2002.

“I have, of course, continued to appeal to the international community not to let the refugees and their plight be forgotten”, he said.  But instead of an anticipated 5 per cent increase in contributions, UNRWA now faced a 3 per cent decrease unless donors reversed their decision to lessen their contributions or new donors could be found. 

In addition, UNRWA had availed itself of all opportunities to talk to Israeli authorities about measures to allow improved access for its personnel to its facilities, in order to ease the plight of the refugees. 

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