LONDON - 10 May 2006 - 200 words

Palestinian society is facing collapse due to funding cuts

Christian Aid sent a briefing paper to all MPs ahead of a debate which took place in the Commons last Wednesday, on Israel and the Occupied Territories. In it, the charity said that in two years, almost three in four Palestinians (74 per cent) will be living below the United Nations poverty line of an income of £1.10 a day ­ worse than Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Angola.

Doctors and nurses are not being paid in part because the European Union has cut off funding to the Palestinian Authority. The already disastrously poor Palestinian health service is on the brink of total collapse. Malnutrition is on the rise and people's lives are at risk. Half the Palestinian population is now reliant on food aid.

Christian Aid is squarely accusing the Israel government of a policy of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians, which is illegal under international law and grossly immoral by any measure of decent, humane behaviour.

The charity calls on Tony Blair and Margaret Beckett to be even handed in dealing with both the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority.
To download the full paper follow the links on: http://www.christian-aid.org.uk/news/index.htm

© Independent Catholic News 2006

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