occupied Palestinian territory

The humanitarian situation in occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) took a dramatic downturn early in 2006 when the Government of Israel (GoI) and international community reacted rapidly to the results of the democratic elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) that saw Hamas sweep to power. Any optimism in the air among the various actors in the ongoing conflict quickly evaporated.

In the space of a few weeks, international support for the Palestinian Authority (PA) began to dry up and the GoI began withholding Palestinian Value Added Tax (VAT) and customs taxes worth an estimated $60 million per month. This effectively cancelled or suspended approximately 75% of the PA's monthly budget, leaving 160,000 Palestinian civil servants who support an estimated 25% of the Palestinian population - an estimated 1 million people - without a regular salary. PA institutions, the main service provider for the bulk of the Palestinian population, were severely undermined with public services in crucial areas such as health, education and social welfare failing and unable to provide. Frustration with the worsening conditions was reflected by PA employees during the autumn of 2006 with a general and open strike. Today, 70% of Palestinian households live in poverty, and unemployment stands at 29%.

Since March 2006, no Palestinian workers or traders have been allowed to enter Israel to access jobs and markets. As a result of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) "Operation Summer Rains", that started in June, tighter border control by the IDF into Gaza Strip has further stymied economic opportunities and increased the dependency of the population on humanitarian aid. At the end of August, Karni Crossing - the exports/imports life line - had been completely closed for 44% of the year by the Israeli authorities. Continued construction of the Barrier will also see further communities isolated. The military operation continues, leaving in its wake a severely damaged Strip and a heavy toll for civilians.

The current humanitarian situation is mainly caused by a crisis of continued and sustainable access to basic services and rights. Illustrating the stalemate, the Access and Movement Agreement (AMA), to which both GoI and PA committed in November 2005 and which sets minimum targets for the traffic of goods and the movement of people within, and out of, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, is in a dead-lock despite the deployment of EU observers at the crossing point with Egypt (Rafah).

Increasing movement restrictions employed by the IDF and the worsening operational environment are increasing the pressure on the humanitarian community to provide assistance. With consistent underfunding of the UN's Consolidated Appeal (CAP), delays in programme implementation are only exacerbating humanitarian needs. The worsening conditions have forced the UN and its partners to revise the Appeal upwards from US $215 million to US $384 million.

International support is required by the UN and its partners to continue the provision of humanitarian assistance to address crucial human and economic needs. Yet humanitarian assistance alone cannot substitute or replace an overarching public system that has not developed significantly over the last 12 years. Humanitarian assistance only slows the deterioration of Palestinian livelihoods. Significant political progress must be made between the PA and the GoI, and also between the various factions within oPt in order to find a resolution to the current difficulties and ensure a return to normalcy for the Palestinian people.

Against this background, OCHA's key objectives for 2007 are as follows:

Strengthen in-country humanitarian coordination: OCHA oPt will promote, encourage and support critical analysis of humanitarian needs and a refined impact analysis of the Israeli closure regime. Together with IASC CT partners OCHA will strengthen its monitoring capacity with a clear set of relevant indicators. OCHA will also support and advise the recently established Humanitarian Coordinator on key issues such as effective and strategic coordination, inter-agency sector leaderships, humanitarian access and Palestinian movement negotiation.

Strengthen the Consolidated Appeals Process: Greater efforts will aim to link humanitarian relief interventions to measurable humanitarian needs. By doing so, OCHA will position the CAP within its own scope and limitations in a wider context of national development and necessary political progress. OCHA will also pilot the implementation of the strategic monitoring framework to strengthen the impact analysis of the CAP on the humanitarian situation.

Increase efficient partnerships for humanitarian action: OCHA will develop further its partnerships with UN agencies, NGOs and the donor community to ensure a representative coverage of humanitarian assistance throughout oPt, eliminating gaps and duplications as much as possible. Partnerships will also include cooperation on information and data sharing as well as the promotion of humanitarian principles, human rights and international humanitarian law. Innovative perspectives and partnerships will also be sought.

Improve and publicly profile information products and advocacy efforts: OCHA will enhance its information management to ensure an even more systematic and reliable collection, storage and use of its own information. OCHA will rely on its newly launched website as a prime source of information for a wide audience, including operational humanitarian partners. OCHA will promote inter-agency advocacy services and efforts with a wide range of materials prepared and disseminated, including media materials, animated presentations and briefing materials. The primary focus will be on the media and decision-makers in order to influence policies.

Key indicators for 2007

• Percent of vulnerable population accessible for humanitarian assistance
• A strategy is developed with the country team by June 2007 in support of the Humanitarian Coordinator's priorities
• Percent of CAP funded; percent of increase in number of NGOs involved in the CHAP; percent of NGO funding within the CAP
• Number of new partnership agreements and affiliations by end 2007
• Percent of increase in number of requests for information from and references to OCHA and its services in various media