Information Brief: Two years of Intifada

The Palestine Monitor,
A PNGO Information Clearinghouse
September 28th, 2002

Today marks the second year of the current Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and the repression of the Palestinian people. During the last two years, the Israeli response to the Palestinian people's struggle for internationally recognized right to self-determination and towards an end to the Israeli colonization of their land has grown increasingly violent and aggressive. In September 2000, Palestinians were met by Israeli soldiers firing rubber-coated-metal bullets and live ammunition, today nearly all the West Bank towns have been fully 're-occupied' by the Israeli army and have been placed under strict military-enforced curfew. In Gaza, the population is bracing itself for an imminent reoccupation.

More than 1,914 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers, settlers or police since September 2000. Also counted among these are those who died as a direct result of the Israeli occupation, i.e. those denied access to life saving medical treatment when ambulances were stopped and turned away at checkpoints, and the unborn babies who died when their mothers could not reach hospital because of closure or curfew:

71 Palestinians have died after being prevented access to medial treatment, 21 of those were children, 13 were newborn babies.

169 have died in extra judicial assassination attacks, of these 31 were bystanders at the time and 44 were "unintended" victims killed as they were with the victim. 22 were children.

22.5% were aged 18 or younger, i.e one out of every five killed

60% were shot with live ammunition

85% were civilians or not involved in any violent action or attack at the time they were killed

17 medical personnel were killed while on duty

An estimated 41,000 Palestinians have been injured in the same period: 2,500 of those are permanently disabled, 500 of whom are children

The prolonged Israeli closure of the Occupied Territories has destreoyed the Palestinain economy and lead to serious damage to infrastructure and civil society:

75 % of the Palestinian population live in poverty (less than US$ 2 per day) and unemployment has reached 65%.

30% of children under 5 years of age suffer from chronic malnutrition, 21 % from acute malnutrition

45% of children under 5 and 48% of women of childbearing age suffer from moderate to mild anemia

During the first 15 months of the Intifada the occupation caused physical damage amounting to US$ 305 million. During the month long invasion in March and April 2002, the Israeli army destroyed and looted US$ 361 million worth of property

This violent and dangerous occupation regime is now being met by a popular non-violent resistance, including peaceful marches in the streets with people protesting the three-month long curfew regime, the siege and the continued killing of innocent people.

For more information contact Palestine Monitor +972 2 2985372 or +972 (0)59 254218 and see www.palestinemonitor.org