Court okays Gaza fuel cuts
Saturday, December 1, 2007
ISRAEL'S high court yesterday's ruled that the state could continue with month-long fuel cuts to the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, but ordered a delay on plans to reduce electricity supplies too, officials said.
The rulings came in response to a petition by 10 Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups, who had called the moves to limit Gaza energy supplies an act of illegal collective punishment that endangered civilians.
On the issue of fuel, the court said that it was possible to reduce supplies without affecting the humanitarian situation in the impoverished territory that is home to 1.5 million Palestinians, the groups said.
The court, however, ordered the military to provide information to back its claims that the power cuts will not harm vital systems like hospitals, the Gisha Legal Centre, one the groups who filed the petition, said in a statement.
Israel had planned to start reducing electricity into Gaza tomorrow.
It will now hold off as judges said they "presume" the restrictions will not be implemented until their final decision, said Sari Bashi, a Gisha spokeswoman.
Israeli moves to cut fuel and electricity to Gaza have been slammed by both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, while the European Union has expressed "concern."
In its ruling on fuel, the high court said that "we do not accept the petitioners' argument that there is no way to ensure that the fuel provided will indeed be used for humanitarian needs," Ynet quoted the decision as saying.
"Under the current circumstances, if the distribution of fuel is controlled and prioritised in a way that puts humanitarian needs first, it would appear that the amount provided even after the cutback will be enough to satisfy these needs." Israel began restricting fuel shipments to the territory on October 28.AFP
The rulings came in response to a petition by 10 Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups, who had called the moves to limit Gaza energy supplies an act of illegal collective punishment that endangered civilians.
On the issue of fuel, the court said that it was possible to reduce supplies without affecting the humanitarian situation in the impoverished territory that is home to 1.5 million Palestinians, the groups said.
The court, however, ordered the military to provide information to back its claims that the power cuts will not harm vital systems like hospitals, the Gisha Legal Centre, one the groups who filed the petition, said in a statement.
Israel had planned to start reducing electricity into Gaza tomorrow.
It will now hold off as judges said they "presume" the restrictions will not be implemented until their final decision, said Sari Bashi, a Gisha spokeswoman.
Israeli moves to cut fuel and electricity to Gaza have been slammed by both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, while the European Union has expressed "concern."
In its ruling on fuel, the high court said that "we do not accept the petitioners' argument that there is no way to ensure that the fuel provided will indeed be used for humanitarian needs," Ynet quoted the decision as saying.
"Under the current circumstances, if the distribution of fuel is controlled and prioritised in a way that puts humanitarian needs first, it would appear that the amount provided even after the cutback will be enough to satisfy these needs." Israel began restricting fuel shipments to the territory on October 28.AFP
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