Brussels, 13/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has allocated an additional €4 million in emergency humanitarian aid for Palestinians affected by a lack of water and fodder, made worse by restrictions imposed by Israel in the occupied territories. The aid, provided by ECHO, the Commission's humanitarian wing, was announced on Wednesday 13 July. It will provide water for around 50,000 people - mainly Bedouin communities - and their livestock in the West Bank.
“The rainfall deficit by itself puts at risk the livelihoods of many Palestinians, for instance those who make a living by herding. But the drought is particularly painful when it hits people whose access to water is already very limited by the occupation in the West Bank and by the Gaza Strip blockade”, said International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva in a press release.
She went on: “While many wells and other water sources are drying out, the occupation prevents Palestinian herders and their livestock from accessing some water points which have not been as badly affected. The problem is particularly acute for the Bedouin communities in Area C which I visited in May (Ed: 14-17 May 2011)”.
Rainfall in the occupied Palestinian territory is 59% down from the rainy season average. The emergency aid will be concentrated on those most affected, in southern Hebron, the Northern Jordan valley and other parts of Area C, which contains the Israeli settlements, buffer zones and includes the Judean Desert and much of the Jordan Valley.
Food assistance will be provided to 4,000 herders and their families - around 25,000 people in total. Their livelihoods will be protected by the provision of fodder for their animals. (A.N./transl.rt)