1. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia General Assembly New York, November 2014 NOTE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REPERCUSSIONS OF THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION ON THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, INCLUDING EAST JERUSALEM, AND THE ARAB POPULATION IN THE OCCUPIED SYRIAN GOLAN Prepared by: The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia Presented by: Rima Khalaf, Under-Secretary-General, Executive Secretary

2. Legislative Mandate ECOSOC Resolution 2013/8: Concern over Israeli practices that violate international humanitarian law Movement restrictions [including the Gaza blockade] Violence against civilians Incarceration of Palestinians, including children under harsh conditions Destruction of homes and property, agricultural lands and orchards Expansion of Israeli settlements Construction of the wall Exploitation of natural resources GA Resolution 68/235: Reaffirms inalienable rights of peoples under Israeli occupation over natural resources Demanding a halt to the exploitation, damage, or endangerment of natural resources Stressing the illegality of the wall and the Israeli settlements Calling upon Israel to desist from altering the character and status of the occupied territory, including East Jerusalem Calling for the cessation of all actions harming the environment Calling for the cessation of the destruction of Palestinian vital infrastructure Inputs and contributions by: UNCTAD, UNRWA, OCHA, ILO, FAO, WHO, UNSCO, UNEP, OHCHR, DPA, UN-Women, UNICEF, UN-Habitat, UNDP Inputs and contributions by: UNCTAD, UNRWA, OCHA, ILO, FAO, WHO, UNSCO, UNEP, OHCHR, DPA, UN-Women, UNICEF, UN-Habitat, UNDP

3. The occupied Palestinian Territory Israeli Policies CERD censured Israel Urging it to prohibit & eradicate policies/ practices of racial segregation and apartheid

4. The occupied Palestinian Territory Israeli Policies Israeli policies amounting to "de facto segregation": Inequality and separation in the use of roads and infrastructure Unequal access to basic services and water resources. Movement restrictions only affecting Palestinians Discriminatory legal system (settler violence) Restrictive and discriminatory regime on Palestinian construction: "Virtually impossible" for Palestinians to meet housing needs Palestinian construction: 0.5% of Area C vs. 8.5% for Israelis 94% of Palestinian construction permit applications in Area C rejected by Israeli authorities (2000-2012)

5. The occupied Palestinian territory Israeli Policies East Jerusalem : Altering the Demography Israeli “Demographic Balance" policy: calls for a 60/40 demographic balance in favour of Jewish residents 35% of Palestinian land confiscated for settlement use 33% of Palestinian homes vulnerable to demolitions: over 93,000 Palestinians at risk of displacement Display of Palestinian symbols punishable Palestinian gatherings prohibited Discrimination against Palestinian neighbourhoods in services Discriminatory rules and laws governing residency status – 15,000 Palestinians de facto expelled – 10,000 unregistered Palestinian children

6. The occupied Palestinian Territory Excessive Use of Force and Detentions April 2013-March 2014: 40 Palestinian civilians killed; another 3,654 injured 5 Palestinian children killed; another 1,001 injured. Amnesty International investigated killings of 25 Palestinians by Israeli Soldiers (West Bank, 2013): All were unlawful killings Wilful killings: amount to war crimes Patterns of excessive use of force with impunity 94% of Israeli criminal investigations against Israeli soldiers closed without any indictments.

7. The occupied Palestinian Territory Excessive Use of Force and Detentions At least 1,486 Palestinian civilians killed (500 children) 1500 children orphaned Over 11,100 Palestinians, including 3,374 children injured 1100 injured with long- term or permanent impairments Update: July-August Offensive on the Gaza Strip

8. The occupied Palestinian Territory Excessive Use of Force and Detentions 4881 Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli prisons (Jan 2014) – 800,000 Palestinians detained since 1967 – Denial of due process rights – Ill-treatment that may amount to torture – Subject to Israeli military courts: 99% conviction rate 183 Palestinian child prisoners: institutionalized ill-treatment – Including solitary confinement, sometimes for months – 107 cases of ill-treatment documented in 2013 (11 under the age of 14) – Confessions obtained under duress and used as the main evidence – Detained with adults in overcrowded cells in poor conditions 175 Palestinian administrative detainees (Jan 2014) The Public Committee against Torture in Israel: no criminal investigation, prosecution or conviction for more than 776 complaints of torture since 1999.

9. The occupied Palestinian Territory Home Demolitions, Property Confiscation and Population Displacement 663 Palestinian structures and homes demolished in 2013 98 in East Jerusalem 1,103 people displaced “Demolition fees” imposed on Palestinians Palestinians forced to destroy their own homes to avoid fees Over 1 billion sq. m. of Palestinian land seized and allocated to Israeli settlements: 40% of the West Bank

10. Gaza Strip Before the July-August Offensive: Shortfall of over 70,000 housing units 12,500 people remained displaced from previous offensives After July-August Offensive: 108,000 homeless 13% of the housing stock destroyed or damaged Up to 20,000 homes totally destroyed or rendered uninhabitable The occupied Palestinian Territory Home Demolitions, Property Confiscation and Population Displacement

11. The occupied Palestinian Territory Israeli Settlements and Settler Violence Israeli settlements = illegal annexation; Undermine viable Palestinian State, and right to self-determination Israeli Governments directly promoted settlements, and their expansion 100 settlements on the list of areas receiving the maximum benefits 563,546 settlers living in 250 Israeli settlements in the OPT (2012) 123.7% increase in 2013 in housing unit construction in settlements Transfer of Israeli citizens into occupied territory, prohibited under international humanitarian and criminal law

12. The occupied Palestinian Territory Israeli Settlements and Settler Violence Increase in racist violence and acts of vandalism on the part of Israeli settlers in 2013: 146 Palestinians injured, including 49 children 306 attacks on private property 13,097 trees uprooted 30 acts of arson/vandalism on mosques & churches since 2008 Impunity continues: Attacks during daylight hours Video and photographic footage Identities of perpetrators known 84% of investigations into settler violence closed without indictments compared to 90-95% of cases of Palestinian violence that go to court

13. The Wall

14. Map Courtesy of OCHA-OPT Blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip since June 2007: collective punishment in direct violation of article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention 1.8 million people ‘locked in’ Most fundamental parameters of Israel’s blockade remain in place Movement of Palestinians in and out difficult and largely banned Limited access of humanitarian assistance Importation of basic construction materials heavily restricted Buffer zone within the Strip Denying Palestinians access to 35% of the Strip’s agricultural land Sea areas beyond 6 nautical miles barred for Palestinians Profitable fishing areas start at 8 nautical miles Fishermen regularly fired upon Confiscation and damaging of fishing boats and equipment Map Courtesy of OCHA-OPT The occupied Palestinian Territory Mobility Restrictions: Gaza Blockade

15. The occupied Palestinian Territory Mobility Restrictions and Closure Policies Map Courtesy of OCHA-OPT Mobility in the West Bank: Discrimination Restrictions 40% (settlements)+18% (firing zones)+10% (wall) 68% of West Bank off limits to Palestinians 65.12 km of roads classified for the sole use of Israelis 6.72 km of internal roads in Hebron for Israeli motor traffic only Access to East Jerusalem: restricted for Palestinians, not for Israelis

16. The occupied Palestinian Territory Impact on Natural Resources and the Environment An Israeli settler receives 6 times more water than a Palestinian

17. Israel controls West Bank water resources: – Most Palestinians receive 60 l/capita/day (WHO standard = 100 /capita/day) – Israel withdraws 90% of water resources – 56 water springs taken over or at risk of takeover by Israeli settlers – 313,000 Palestinians not connected to water network – 300,000 Palestinians at risk of acute water scarcity Denial of water used to trigger displacement, particularly in areas allocated for settlement expansion Gaza blockade and military strikes increase pressure on water resources: – 90% of the water from the aquifer is not safe for drinking – Households in Gaza spend up to 1/3 of their income on drinking water – Bacteriological contamination putting 1,1 million people at risk The occupied Palestinian Territory Impact on Natural Resources and the Environment

18. Map Courtesy of OCHA-OPT Impact of the Blockade and military operations on sanitation infrastructure in the Gaza Strip: Infrastructure cannot cope with existing demand 90 million litres of sewage released daily into the Mediterranean Sea Pollution, health hazards and problems for the fishing industry Restrictive permit regime and settlements in the West Bank: 68% of the West Bank population not connected to wastewater network No sewer networks in rural areas: hazardous septic tanks or cesspits 5.5 billion litres of settlement wastewater released into the West Bank annually The occupied Palestinian Territory Impact on Natural Resources and the Environment

19. The occupied Palestinian Territory Social and Economic Indicators Map Courtesy of OCHA-OPT Economy: negative trend continued Unemployment: 25.2 % (Q4 2013), 39% among youth 15-19 Large-scale deskilling of workers; discouraging investment 26% below poverty line (2011) – 30% in Gaza: direct consequence of the occupation Palestinian fiscal crisis : Israel repeatedly withholds taxes and customs revenues Easing current restrictions in Area C would be expected to: Increase Palestinian GDP by 35% Increase employment by 35% Israeli restrictions on economic activity in Area C limit the development potential of the economy

20. The occupied Palestinian Territory Social and Economic Indicators Map Courtesy of OCHA-OPT Dramatic rise in food insecurity (2012): 1,570,000 Palestinians (34%) food insecure 57% of Gaza households food insecure 800,000 refugees depend on food assistance “Marginally secure“/"vulnerable" groups expanding: widening precariousness 53% of Palestinian households are food insecure or vulnerable to food insecurity Major public health problems: Low quality and quantity of water Inadequate wastewater treatment Public health system fragile: Dependent on aid /borders 15,000 patients had to leave Gaza for medical treatment The blockade has a severe impact on the Gaza Strip health sector:

21. The occupied Palestinian Territory Social and Economic Indicators Map Courtesy of OCHA-OPT West Bank students /teachers vulnerable to harassment/violence at hands of Israeli settlers and soldiers (2013): 36 boys and 9 girls were injured 164 attacks or threats on schoolchildren 4 settler attacks on schools 5,000 students face daily delays at checkpoints Israeli restrictions lead to poor quality education infrastructure (Area C): 10,000 Palestinian students attend classes in tents, caravans or tin shacks Area C schools have poor sanitation contributing to school dropout rates Impact of the Gaza Blockade on education: Inability to build new schools: 67% of Gaza government schools and 85% of UNRWA schools run double shifts 250 new schools needed in 2012, another 190 needed by 2020 Education staff cannot receive training abroad

22. The Occupied Syrian Golan

23. Map Courtesy of OCHA-OPT 20,000 Israeli settlers in 33 settlements Israeli incentives to encourage settlement growth Discrimination in water allocation, access to land, housing and basic services Syrian agricultural sector unable to compete: Receives 30% of the water allocated to Israeli settlements Discriminatory pricing system Unequal access to markets Exploitation of Golan natural resources: petroleum exploration contracts granted Israel neglects to protect Syrians in the Golan from landmines

24. Conclusion Map Courtesy of OCHA-OPT The Israeli occupation institutionalizes discriminatory measures: Illegal under international law Obstacle to peace Violation of Palestinian and Syrian rights

25. Conclusion Comprehensive peace can only be achieved by: Ending the occupation Attaining Palestinian and Syrian rights Implementing United Nations resolutions Adhering to international law and norms