Palestinian Authority Hostile to Gazans

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Longtime Israeli collaborator Mahmoud Abbas serves as its enforcer - including by imposing greater harshness on besieged Gazans than already. 

By cutting funding the PA is obligated to provide, electricity is down to a few hours daily, creating enormous hardships for long-suffering Gazans.

Worse still, reduced PA funding denies seriously ill Gazans needing treatment unavailable in the Strip from seeking permission from Israel to get it elsewhere.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), PA financial approvals are down 80% from last year - 477 Gazans given permission to travel in June compared to 1,883 in the same month last year.

Even with PA approvals, permission from Israel to leave the Strip is hard to get. Further complicating things, Rafah crossing has been closed for five months, the longest period since Israel's imposed blockade.

Thousands meeting Egypt's criteria for travel are stranded on a waiting list, unable to study abroad, conduct business, or get vitally needed medical treatment.

Exits through Erez crossing also dropped dramatically, currently about half the 2016 total. After a decade of closure and blockade, conditions were tightened, not eased, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Israeli and PA imposed harshness gravely harms the lives, health and welfare of the entire population.

Over night Tuesday, Israeli warplanes terror-bombed Gaza, in response to a rocket fired by an unknown party landing harmlessly in Israel.

According to a Shifa hospital official, three Palestinians were injured, one in critical condition. 

Israel launches frequent ground, air, and offshore attacks on the Strip, terrorizing the population, fearful of another war, perhaps more devastating than the last one, killing or injuring thousands, turning large parts of the Strip to rubble.

Gaza's ability to provide basic services to its residents is close to collapse, two million people living under extreme duress, isolated in the world's largest open-air prison.

The Strip's health ministry spokesman Dr. Ashraf al-Qedra said nearly 3,700 medical providers, including doctors, nurses and other staff are expected to be let go for lack of funding to retain them - health services close to collapse.

Education and other essential services are affected the same way. Days earlier, Abbas said minimal financial aid will continue as long as Hamas administers the Strip - collective punishment on the entire population.

Gazans suffer under appalling conditions, facing unprecedented poverty, unemployment and deprivation, the world community doing nothing to end their suffering.

VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.