CJPP condemns the 12 year Israeli land, sea and air blockade of Gaza. The situation in Gaza is untenable as documented by UNRWA, the United National Relief Works Agency, which has provided assistance to Palestinians in Gaza since the Nakba in 1948 when tens of thousands of Palestinians fled there as refugees from their homelands which were taken by Israel
CONTACT AUSTRALIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER MARISE PAYNE
Tell her why the Australian Government must call for an immediate
end to the siege of Gaza which Israel has maintained for over 12 years
during which time it has attacked Gazan civilians in a horrendous way,
killing thousands of innocent people indiscriminately.
The siege means that supplies of food and materials are all controlled by Israel as well as
all movement into and out of Gaza. This siege stops Palestinians from
Gaza participating in Palestinian community in East Jerusalem and the
West Bank and visa versa.
The Great March of Return is a protest which began in Gaza on 30 March 2018 on Palestinian Land Day as Palestinians demanded the right to return to lands from which their families were violently expelled during the founding of Israel in 1948. This protest continues as Palestinians also call for an end to Israel’s and Egypt‘s 12-year blockade of Gaza.
According to Amnesty International, “One year on from the start of the Great March of Return protests in Gaza, thousands of civilians continue to suffer the devastating consequences of Israel’s ruthless tactics without accountability. At least 195 Palestinians were killed, including 41 children and 28,939 injured by Israeli forces in the context of the protests between 30 March 2018 until 22 March 2019, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The UN Human Rights Council Commission into the Gaza Protests found reasonable grounds to believe that Israeli snipers shot at journalists, health workers, children and persons with disabilities, knowing they were clearly recognizable as such.
According to UNRWA – The Gaza Strip is a war-ravaged, poverty-stricken area, locked into 365 square kilometers and living under a tight illegal blockade on land, air and sea, which entered its tenth year in June 2016. The blockade, in addition to recurrent armed violence and conflict, today remains the principle causes of the socio-economic and psycho-social crisis in Gaza. The restrictions on movement of people and goods continue to collectively punish the civilian population, affecting every aspect of life in Gaza, undermining the local economy and threatening the enjoyment of most human rights, in clear violation of Israels legal obligations under international law. In addition, since restrictions have been imposed by the Egyptian authorities from June 2013 onwards, also the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt remains closed except for a few days per year.
UN Special Rapporteur alarmed by devastating impact of Gaza conflict on Palestinian civilians.
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY GROUPS
The Free Gaza Movement
The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza
Witness Gaza
Free Gaza Australia
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RESOURCES
“The Goldstone Report” – Report of the Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council, 29 September 2009. [United Nations]
“The Palmer Report” – Report of the Secretary-Generals Panel of Inquiry on the 31 May 2010 Flotilla Incident, presented 2 September 2011. [United Nations]
The Gaza Blockade – UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) [United Nations]
The UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 Gaza protests
“The Gaza Cheat Sheet” – Gisha Legal Center for Freedom of Movement [Israel]
PCHR Gaza – Palestinian Center for Human Rights [Palestine]
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