Israeli Eyes Up Permits, Visas For OCHA West Bank Employees

Israeli Eyes Up Permits, Visas For OCHA Employees In West Bank And Gaza

July 16, 20120 comments

Al-Akhbar English
15/07/2012

On Sunday reports in the Israeli media said the country was weighing measures to sanction a United Nations agency that works to alleviate the oppression of the Palestinians.

Haaretz newspaper reported that Israel wants to “reassess” the role of the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in particular in response to the agency’s promotion of construction in the West Bank.

The newspaper said measures being considered included limiting visas for OCHA employees and removing work and travel permits issued to Palestinian employees of the agency.

Haaretz said Israeli officials were “furious” about OCHA activities in the part of the West Bank under full Israeli control.

Several international organizations and aid groups support Palestinian construction in the region known as Area C, in many cases without seeking Israeli permits, as Israeli authorities make it impossible to obtain such permission.

Earlier this month, British-based charity Oxfam urged international donors to support development projects in Area C “even if they have not been explicitly approved” by the Israeli authorities.

The newspapers said Israel’s ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor has raised the issue with the UN’s leadership, saying “there is a need to review OCHA’S role” in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Haaretz said Prosor requested a list of all the agency’s employees in the West Bank and Gaza “including full name, location and job description.”

Despite Israel’s fury over projects in Area C it continues to encourage the building of Jewish-only settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, despite such developments illegal under international law.

Israel’s continued attacks on development projects destroys the Palestinian economy and ensures thousands are unable to find work.

(Reuters, Al-Akhbar, AFP)

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