Brussels, 08/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - At a meeting with the press in Brussels last week, Robert Derwyn Watkins, the head of the Middle East regional office of ECHO (the EU humanitarian aid office), spoke of the alarming humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories. "Permanent uncertainty is a heavy psychological burden on the inhabitants", said the ECHO expert. By way of example, a census carried out in August 2003 in the north of the West Bank alone, counted 48 military checkpoints and over 300 roadblocks and other obstacles limiting the access of Palestinians to their workplaces and health centres. Under these conditions, building a so-called "security" enclosure between Israel and the West Bank did little to reduce tension or make it easier to move around. "Many Palestinians are cut off from their land and jobs, and no longer have access to social or basic medical services", explained Robert Derwyn Watkins. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), if the enclosure is built as per the Israeli government's plans, there will be serious humanitarian consequences for over 680,000 Palestinians, or 30% of the West Bank's population.
ECHO aid to the least favoured people in the Palestinian territory comes to over 97 million EUR in the last three years, or 80% of the total budget for the region, with the exception of Iraq, which has its own budget. This aid relates to the following sectors: health, distribution of water and food, cleansing, psychological assistance for children traumatised by violence. It is also worth noting that, in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), an exchange programme entitled "food for work" will be set up in rural areas affected by the security enclosure.