JERUSALEM – The United Nations has warned that rising unemployment and poverty in the West Bank and Gaza Strip coupled with economic suffocation are posing acute challenges to food security leaving many families totally reliant on outside assistance as well as threatening vital sectors of the Palestinian economy.
The warning comes in a report by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) due to be released this month reviewing and analysing 2006 statistics and assessing food security and socio-economic conditions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
It says that while food security levels in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) have been maintained through regular humanitarian assistance and strong social solidarity among Palestinians almost half of the population remains food insecure or is at risk of becoming food insecure.
The weakening economy is leading to a marked decline in living standards. According to the report 84 percent of Gazans and 60 percent of West Bankers were found to be reducing their living expenditures by the end of 2006. Many people who cannot afford to buy food have been forced to sell off valuable livelihood assets such as land or tools.
“The poorest families are now living a meagre existence totally reliant on assistance with no electricity or heating and eating food prepared with water from bad sources. This is putting their long-term health at risk” stressed Arnold Vercken WFP’s Country Director in the oPt.
One particularly disturbing factor noted by the report is the growing proportion of the urban population suffering food insecurity alongside the more traditionally vulnerable rural and refugee populations. All Palestinians are to a greater or lesser extent caught between rising food prices and declining purchasing power.
“In recent years Palestinians have shared the burden of rising poverty but without sustainable economic recovery the humanitarian caseload will only increase over time” said Erminio Sacco FAO Food Security Advisor in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
“Food assistance alone cannot prevent this decline – there also has to be economic growth which requires political dialogue and stability” said Vercken.
The report illustrates how restrictions on trade and movement experienced over 2006 have led to the progressive fragmentation of the economy dragging previously self-reliant sectors of society (farmers workers fishermen traders and small shop owners) into poverty and debt.
Gaza relies almost entirely on imported food thus any closure of the Karni commercial crossing has a direct impact on the availability and price of basic commodities. The stagnation of trade experienced in 2006 drastically affected employment and income opportunities throughout the Gaza Strip leading to a serious rise in poverty..
The WFP operation was originally designed to provide 154000 tons of food assistance to 135500 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and 344500 in the West Bank. However since various restrictions were placed on international funding to the Palestinian Authority in January 2006 an increasing number of Palestinians have been facing impoverishment. WFP has responded to growing needs by raising the number of beneficiaries from 480000 to 600000.
Donors to date include: the European Commission (US$35 million) the United States (US$35 million) Norway (US$3 million) Japan (US$2.8 million) Saudi Arabia (US$2.6 million) France (US$2.5 million) Switzerland (US$2 million) Sweden (US$1.2 million) Canada (US$900000) Denmark (US$840000) Finland (US$740000) Germany (US$650000) Cyprus (US$ 350000) Italy (US$350000) Austria (US$320000) the Netherlands (US$200000) Greece (US$180000) Iceland (US$100000) and the United Kingdom (US$20000).
WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency: each year we give food to an average of 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional needs including 58 million hungry children in at least 80 of the world’s poorest countries. WFP — We Feed People..
For more information please contact (email address: [email protected]):
Khaled Mansour WFP/Cairo Tel+20-2-5281730 ext.2600 Cell +20-1-22-348671
Brenda Barton Deputy Director of Communications WFP/Rome Tel. +39-06-65132602 Cell. +39-3472582217 (ISDN line available)
Gregory Barrow WFP/London Tel.. +44-20-72409001 Cell. +44-7968-008474
Christiane Berthiaume WFP/Geneva Tel. +41-22-9178564 Cell. +41-792857304
Cécile Sportis WFP/Paris Tel. +33-1-70385330 Cell. +33-6161-68266
Jennifer Parmelee WFP/Washington Tel. +1-202-6530010 ext. 1149 Mob. +1-202-4223383
Bettina Luescher WFP/New York Tel. +1-212-9635196 Cell. +1-646-8241112 [email protected]
