People’s Health Movement statement on Israel’s attack on the civilian ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza
3rd June 2010
The People’s Health Movement (PHM)1, strongly condemns the Israeli government’s violent and premeditated attack on the civilian flotilla’s carrying peaceful activists and humanitarian aid to Gaza on 31st May 2010.
The Israeli army’s attack using live ammunition, which resulted in death of civilians and took place in international waters, was a direct violation of international maritime law. The activists were protesting the Israeli blockade on Gaza. It appears that at least 9 civilians were killed (according to the Israeli sources), with dozens of others injured.
We note that the flotilla, among other forms of humanitarian aid, was carrying vital supplies required to address the rapidly deteriorating situation in Gaza as regards health and health care. It included essential medicines, wheelchairs and building materials – vital supplies needed to rebuild health facilities, address the acute shortage of medicines and help in the rehabilitation of people maimed as a result of military action by Israel.
The United States backed Israeli government has for many years violated the human rights of
Palestinian people, through the occupation of Palestinian territories; the economic blockade against Gaza; and ongoing military action against civilian population under occupation. The impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of people, especially women and children is severe (please see People’s Charter for Health).
In their recent Human Rights Report, Amnesty International highlights the impact of the collective punishment of people living in Gaza as having “deepened the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Mass unemployment, extreme poverty, food insecurity and food price rises caused by shortages”. Clearly, the people in Gaza face a health emergency, contributed to by the decimation of health care facilities, as well as by the impact of the blockade and military actions on social determinants of health.
PHM is a global network bringing together grassroots activists, civil society organizations and
academics from around the world, particularly from low income countries. PHM works towards the revitalisation of primary health care and works to address the social determinants of health, including in particular, the growing inequity within and between nations, mostly due to unfair economic structures which lock so many people into poverty and poor health. We have a presence in more than 70 countries around the globe.
The People’s Health Movement demands:
- A credible and independent investigation into this barbaric attack on peaceful civilians;
- Israel to allow for the free flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. According to the UN, only a fraction of aid required is entering Gaza.
- That Israel immediately suspends the economic blockade on Gaza and ends the occupation of Palestinian territories;
- That governments around the world sever diplomatic, trade and military ties with Israel and support the international campaign of Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against the Apartheid Israeli state.
We call on civil organizations and citizens around the world to pressurize their governments to take action against Israel, to put pressure on Israel to allow humanitarian aid and food into Gaza; and to end the blockade on Gaza which is negatively impacting on large numbers of innocent women and children, elderly and the sick. We appeal to ordinary citizens in Israel to condemn this dastardly act of their Government and to articulate a reversal of the Israeli Government’s policy towards Palestine.
Bridget Lloyd (Global Co-ordinator on behalf of the secretariat)
Prem John (Co-chairperson, India), Fran Baum (Co-Chairperson, Australia) Hani Serag (Associate coordinator, Egypt), Amit Sengupta (Associate Coordinator, India), Alexis Benos (Greece), Arturo Quizhpe (Ecuador), Bala (Sri Lanka), Claudio Schuftan (Vietnam), David Legge (Australia), David McCoy (United Kingdom), David Sanders (South Africa), Delen de la Paz (Philippines), Ekbal (India), Jihad Mashal (Palestine), Lanny Smith (USA), Maija Kagis (Canada), Margarita Posada (El Salvador), Maria Hamlin Zuniga (Nicaragua), Martin Khor, (Malaysia), Mira Shiva (India), Qasem Chowdury (Bangladesh), Ravi Narayan (India), Sarah Shannon (USA), Zafrullah Chowdhury (Bangladesh)
On behalf of the People’s Health Movement
Mailing Address: P.O.Box 13698 St. Peter’s Square, Mowbray 7705, Cape Town, South Africa. Tel: 027 21 4473037
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