Israel Must Change its Policies in Ending the Isolation of the People of Gaza

Oxfam Press Release - December 2007

For aid to be effective, donors need to insist Israel changes its policies towards occupied Palestinian Territories

For aid to be effective, donors need to insist Israel changes its policies towards occupied Palestinian Territories Millions of dollars of aid is being lost due to Israeli policies towards the occupied Palestinian territories and must be challenged by donor governments meeting in Paris to pledge funds for the Palestinian Authority this Monday, according to aid agency Oxfam International.

Jeremy Hobbs, head of Oxfam International, said: “More aid will not be effective until donor governments insist on a rapid change in Israel’s movement restrictions in the occupied Palestinian territories and the ending of the blockade of the Gaza Strip. Many governments around the world are generous donors to the Palestinians. Their aid is vital to help build the Palestinian economy and a viable state. But donor governments are not sufficiently critical of Israeli policies, which wreck the projects they fund. They are investing precious aid funds, but without holding Israel accountable this aid will be more and more ineffective.

“It is not enough simply to plough more money into Palestine – foreign governments and the Palestinian Authority must increase the pressure on the Israeli government to lift the blockade of Gaza and make it possible for people in the West Bank to go about their business. This is essential if the Annapolis peace process is to work."

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