Gaza traffic grinds to halt as fuel cuts bite

Nidal al-Mughrabi, Reuters, 3.12.07. What had been a gradual reduction has intensified, and in the last few days, supplies representing just 15 percent of the coastal strip's daily consumption were being allowed in. Petrol firms considered the amount "good for nothing" and were refusing to accept it in protest over the Israeli blockade. "Yesterday the situation was dark, today it is darker and it gets worse every single hour," said Mahmoud al-Khuzundar, chairman of Gaza's society of petrol company owners. Khaled Radi, spokesman for the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza, said fuel shortages had already forced some ambulances off the road and threatened to close clinics, which rely on back-up generators during frequent electricity blackouts. "The Israeli decision is a death penalty," Radi said. "Our reserve of fuel is almost zero and maybe it will run out by the end of today," he said adding two health centres had already been forced to suspend treatment during power cuts. Israel's High Court of Justice last week rejected an appeal by human-rights groups to overturn the fuel cuts. The court found in favor of the Defence Ministry's argument that the fuel supply for vital "humanitarian needs" in Gaza had been maintained. Khuzundar said Gaza's water supply and sewage system could also be affected if fuel runs out altogether. (Editing by Michael Winfrey)

IOF Impose additional Collective Punishment Measures and Reduce Gaza’s Fuel Supply

29.11.07. 70% of the Fuel Stations Shutdown and the Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
PCHR strongly condemns the decision by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) on Wednesday (28 November) for a new reduction in the supply of fuel to the Gaza Strip, which already suffers from serious shortages in fuel. The Centre calls upon the international community, especially the High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as UN organizations and international humanitarian organizations to intervene immediately to force IOF to stop this decision. This intervention is necessary to avert a humanitarian crisis threatening all aspects of civilian life including the functioning of healthcare facilities, drinking water wells, and sewage disposal. The fuel cuts threaten to impact the operation of several sectors including health services, environmental services, transportation, education, commerce, industrial production, and agriculture.

It is noted that this decision is preempted a pending decision by the Israeli High Court on a petition submitted by PCHR and several human rights organizations against the IOF decision on 25 October 2007 to reduce the fuel and electricity supplies to the Strip. The Israeli High Court held a session today to review the petition. However, the decision was delayed.

Sources in the Association of Owners of Petrol and Gas Companies and Fuel Stations” indicated that the Association rejected receipt of the fuel amounts delivered on Wednesday, 28 November 2007, due to the new reductions implemented by the Israeli supplier, Dor Alon Co. The Israeli company informed the Association of reducing the daily fuel supply to Gaza to 90,000 liters of kerosene, 25,000 liters of benzene, and 100 tons of natural gas. The Association’s board held a meeting yesterday, and replied to the Israeli supplier that it rejects receipt of such amounts, citing that the reduction will result in a humanitarian crisis on all aspects of civilian life.

As a result, nearly 70% of the Strips fuel stations (approximately 100 out of 145) shutdown on this afternoon after their stock of fuel ran out. The remaining stations are expected to close tomorrow evening.

Statistics indicate that the Strip’s fuel supply was reduced by more than 50% since the IOF decision was issued on 25 October 2007. Kerosene supplies dropped from 333,000 liters to 170,000 liters a day (49% decrease); benzene supplies dropped from 76,000 liters to 46,000 liters a day (40% decrease); whereas natural gas supplies increased by 27% from 228 tons to 290 tons.

It is noted that the daily fuel needs of the Gaza Strip are 350,000 liters of kerosene, 120,000 liters of benzene, and 350 tons of natural gas.

PCHR is extremely concerned by the deterioration of the economic and social situation resulting from the complete closure imposed by IOF on the OPT in general and the Gaza Strip in particular. The Centre is concerned that the food and health conditions of the civilian population will deteriorate further if the reduction of fuel supplies is enforced.

The Centre reminds the High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention, including Israeli authorities, of their responsibilities, especially:

- Responsibility under Article 1 to ensure that the Convention is respected under all circumstances;

- Responsibility to ensure that first article of the First Optional Protocol to protect victims of international armed conflicts;

- Responsibility under Article 54 of the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions (1949) to ensure:

o Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited.

o It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as foodstuffs, agricultural areas for the production of foodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations and supplies and irrigation works, for the specific purpose of denying them for their sustenance value to the civilian population or to the adverse Party, whatever the motive, whether in order to starve out civilians, to cause them to move away, or for any other motive.

- Responsibility under Article 33 stating, “No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited. Pillage is prohibited. Reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited.”

- Responsibility under Article 55 stating, “To the fullest extent of the means available to it the Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population; it should, in particular, bring in the necessary foodstuffs, medical stores and other articles if the resources of the occupied territory are inadequate. The Occupying Power may not requisition foodstuffs, articles or medical supplies available in the occupied territory, except for use by the occupation forces and administration personnel, and then only if the requirements of the civilian population have been taken into account.”

- Reminds the High Contracting Parties of the right of every individual to Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

A moment before the lights go out

Amira Hass, Haaretz, 8.11.07. Alan Johnston, the BBC corresponded kidnapped in Gaza, related in an interview that at a relatively early stage, he started suffering from all kinds of aches because of the water he drank. This was the same water that the kidnappers drank, but Johnston's unaccustomed body sent warning signals: This is not water that is fit for drinking. And this is the water that reaches most of the taps in the Gaza Strip. Salty, in a few places brackish to contaminated, with an oily consistency. That is clearly felt when bathing.

The reason is an ancient one: overpumping because Gaza must make do with the waters from its aquifer alone. It is as if we were to say to the residents of Be'er Sheva: make do with the water that flows nearby. The water sources in the rest of the country are not for you.

Over the last few years, there have been some improvised private and public solutions. Private water purification plants in homes and commercial companies that sell purified water.

The municipalities, for their part, set up large brackish water desalination facilities and several central taps. Thousands of people go there daily to fill up jerry-cans with water that will not taste like it came from a puddle and will not cause diarrhea, infections, kidney problems and who knows what else.

The electricity and fuel supply to Gaza has already been reduced to below the level of basic human needs. An additional reduction will affect the above solutions to the water problem, and beyond. "To darken Gaza," as some of the security experts among us have recently proposed, does not end merely with darkened homes at night. You don't have to be an expert in public health to realize that it would create an endless chain reaction of public health problems and environmental blights.

Today, around a year and a half after Israel bombed the transformer station in Gaza, only 193 megawatts out of the 240 or so it needs is supplied to the Strip.

The water network is the biggest energy consumer in the Gaza Strip: it requires approximately 25 megawatts of the 240 megawatts the Gaza Strip needs.

The 135 wells across the Gaza Strip that supply water, poor quality as it may be, cannot function if the electricity and diesel fuel supply is cut further. The same is true of sewage treatment plants.

Already now, each day, no water is supplied to around 15 percent of the Strip's residents. Each area receives water only every other day. The water is pumped electrically and stored in home reservoirs on every rooftop. Power outages are frequent.

When a power outage in a given area occurs on a day when the municipalities channel water to it, the houses are denied water for three, and sometimes even four, days.

The water network also needs around 150,000 liters of diesel fuel per month. The sewage system needs around 100,000 liters.

The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, the supplier of sewage and water services in the Gaza Strip obtained only 60,000 liters of diesel fuel in October, because the quantity of fuels sold from Israel to the Gaza Strip was reduced. And this is before "the darkening" proposed by Ehud Barak and Matan Vilnai.

The water company must choose to favor the sewage system over the water system. As the deputy CEO of the company, Maher Najjar, explains: The collapse of the sewage system entails a bigger humanitarian threat.

Just imagine a huge flood of sewage. Hence, for example, the seven wells in the northern Gaza Strip that are diesel operated were allocated only 2,000 liters of diesel in early November, instead of the 10,500 liters needed to operate them.

Even before the lights go out, Israel is prohibiting the entry of raw materials into the Gaza Strip.

No one is talking any more about dozens of development projects that have consequently been frozen, such as the one to desalinate well water that serves the residents of the El Bureij refugee camp. Let them continue drinking the water that endangers their health.

Raw material is not the only thing Israel is barring entry of: Vital spare parts are also being barred entry. In the Gaza City sewage treatment facility there are several minor malfunctions.

However, Israel is barring the entry of the spare parts needed to repair them. Sewage undergoes only minimal treatment before it flows into the sea. And the sea, of course, doesn't stop at the Erez or Rafiah checkpoints.

High court asks Israel to explain Gaza sanctions

JERUSALEM, 8 November 2007 (IRIN) - Israel 's highest court on 7 November ordered the state to explain within one week how it planned to ensure that the latest sanctions imposed on Gaza, including fuel and power cuts, would not have a negative humanitarian impact. The court was hearing a petition lodged by 10 Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups, and the deputy-director of the Gaza Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU), demanding an end to the restrictions. Since implementing sanctions on 28 October, Israel has cut supplies of regular diesel by more than 40 percent and industrial gasoline, vital for Gaza's power plant, by about 9 percent, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA) and Gaza petrol companies.
John Ging, Gaza chief of UNRWA, the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees, told IRIN on 7 November that the dwindling fuel supplies would affect aid deliveries and health.

More on Gaza

Temporary stay on Gaza power cuts

Gaza residents unable to get medical care, aid workers say

Gaza squeezed by steady decline in imports, closure threats

Aid groups, UN protest Israeli sanctions move on Gaza

World Bank says donors need long term plan for OPT

Missile from Gaza causes schools to close in Sderot

Weak Palestinian economy having direct humanitarian impact - UN official

Humanitarian aid to the Palestinians - walking the tightrope

Ban on truckloads of paper set to hit Gaza schools

Power shortages threaten sewage treatment

"Immediately, one focuses on fuel needed by municipalities for water wells and to keep sewage pumping stations going. And also for sanitation trucks to collect garbage, otherwise there will be public health problems," he said, noting that UNRWA received its fuel supplies from the local Gazan market.

Currently, there is no spare fuel to run the water system, and the sewage system has enough fuel only for one more week.

Fuel is also needed for trucks that distribute food aid to the poorest in Gaza where some 1.1 million people, out of 1.5 million residents, receive rations from the UN.

The new sanctions include the closing of the Sufa crossing point into Gaza, used to bring in about 65 percent of food supplies, leaving only the Kerem Shalom crossing open.

However, between 1 and 3 November, Kerem Shalom was also closed by Israel, according to OCHA.

"There must always be a humanitarian crossing open into Gaza ," insisted Ging.

In parts of Gaza there are shortages of cheese and meat products as well as rice, canned foods and oil. In other areas, some products are no longer available altogether.

Le procureur de l'Etat gèle la décision de couper l'approvisionnement de Gaza

Jerusalem Post. 29.10.07. Menahem Mazuz, procureur général de l'Etat, a décidé que le plan actuel quiconsiste à couper l'approvisionnement en eau et en autres services vitaux à la bande de Gaza ne devait pas être appliqué tant qu'un mécanisme qui empêche une « punition collective » des Palestiniens ne serait pas trouvé. La bande de Gaza dépend d'Israël pour la totalité de son fioul et pour la moitié de son électricité [About 120 megawatts out of the 200 megawatts of electricity used annually in Gaza are bought from and supplied by Israel directly. A further 17 megawatts are supplied by Egypt, while 65 megawatts is produced by a power station in Gaza.BBC].
Cette décision a été prise ce lundi lors d'une réunion avec des représentants du ministère de la défense.

Cette réunion a eu lieu en réaction à une action en justice auprès de la Haute cour de justice, à l'initiative de plusieurs organisations pour les droits de l¹homme. Cette action a été rejetée, mais la Cour a donné 5 jours à l'Etat pour réagir (Ha'aretz, même date).

D'après une information diffusée par la chaîne de télévision 10, Mazuz a insisté pour que l'armée conçoive d'abord un système qui garantisse qu'aucune crise humanitaire ne se produise. L'une des suggestions envisagées consisterait à avertir les hôpitaux de Gaza d'une action à venir, afin de leur donner le temps de mettre en marche leurs générateurs.

Dimanche, Israël avait commencé à baisser ses livraisons de fioul à la bande de Gaza, dans le cadre des sanctions approuvées la semaine dernière par le ministre de la défense Ehoud Barak, suite à l'escalade récente de tirs de roquettes.

Traduction: Gérard pour La Paix Maintenant
(http://www.lapaixmaintenant.org/communique1702)

IOF Kills Three Palestinian and Start Fuel Cuts in Gaza

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) launched its eighth incursion into the Gaza Strip in eight days today, Monday 29 October 2007. IOF penetrated the towns of Beit Hanoun and Rafah and killed three Palestinians; of whom one is disabled. Nine others were injured and one school bombarded. This military escalation coincides with IOF's commencement of reducing fuel supplies to the Strip.

According to field investigations by Al Mezan, at approximately 5.30am on 29 October 2007, eight Israeli armored vehicles penetrated Ashobaki area north Beit Hanoun town and took positions under helicopters cover. They opened arbitrary fire as a special force sneaked into the Agricultural College of Al Azhar University in the north of the town. The force took positions inside the College and opened fire killing a 44-year-old disabled man; Farid Ibrhim Abu Udeh. The victim was killed from a live bullet to the head while he was inside his home, which is located near the nearby Agricultural Secondary School. A 15-yar-old schoolboy, Ahmed Atta Az-Za'anin, was also shot in the chest near his school north of the town. Medical sources reported his injuries as critical.

At approximately 8.45am the IOF opened machinegun FIRE at a nearby residential area injuring 44-year-old Adnan Mahmoud Yousif, who was near his house in An-Nada neighborhood, northwest Beit Hanoun. At approximately 9.20am an Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile that landed in the western entrance of Beit Hanoun Girls Preparatory School, which is located in Al Qaraman Street. 28-year-old Muhammad Yousif Hamad was killed and five others injured, of whom three critically, in this raid. Israeli tanks fired two artillery shells that landed in an open area near the Agricultural College; however no injuries were reported. Additionally, IOF wounded a child and a woman just before they withdrew at approximately 11am. Dozens of civilian houses, the Agricultural College, the Agricultural Secondary School, and Beit Hanoun Girls Preparatory School sustained damages in this incursion. It was reported that UNRWA's five schools and clinic in the town evacuated during the incursion.

In the same context, at approximately 1.30am on 29 October 2007, eight Israeli armored vehicles entered as deep as 1.5 kilometers into the Karem Abu Mu'aammar area east of the southern Gaza town of Rafah. The IOF opened heavy fire killing 22-year-old Ahmad Ibrahim Abu Tahoun. According to medical sources, IOF restricted the ambulances' access to the area. An ambulance managed to access to Abu Tahoun's body and collect it at approximately 6.30am, only after the IOF withdrew from the area.

According to Al Mezan's fieldworker, at approximately 1am on Sunday 28 October 2007, ten Israeli armored vehicles entered 500 meters deep west the borderline in Wadi As-Salqa village in the east of middle-Gaza town of Deir Al Balah. IOF broke into a three-story house owned by 53-year-old Hussein Ibrahim Abu Mghissib and used it as a military post. At approximately 8.30am the IOF opened fire injuring 22-year-old Ahmad Awad Al Amour with shrapnel to his chest, and 45-year-old Thurayya Muhammad Abu Mghissib with live bullets to her leg and her left arm. IOF withdrew from this area at approximately 5pm on the same day.

In addition, IOF commenced the implementation of the decision reducing fuel supplies to Gaza Strip. Al Mezan's fieldworkers reported the quantities of fuel allowed to flow into Gaza on 28 October 2007 as follows:

- 258,000 liters of fuel used for the operation of the power plant;

- 213,000 liters of diesel;

- 90,000 liters of benzene (for two days);

- 240,000 tons of cooking gas.

This represents a 50% cut in cooking gas and about 30%, cut in fuel compared with the quantities allowed into Gaza before. The same applies to the fuel used for the operation of the power plant. Al Mezan fieldworker reported that gas supply was allowed to flow in today. It is expected that Gaza will experience longer electricity cuts and more shortage in the diesel, which is necessary to operate small electric generators to compensate electricity shortage.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights reiterates its condemnation of the Israeli military escalation against civilians in Gaza. It also asserts that the reduction of fuel supplies represents a flagrant violation of the rules of the International Humanitarian Law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, that will infringe upon the population's life quickly. Therefore, Al Mezan calls on that the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to uphold its moral and legal responsibilities and intervene to immediately stop the Israeli grave breaches of the Convention and provide protection for civilians. Under rapidly increasing punitive measures Gaza faces the threat of imminent worsening of the humanitarian crisis it lives. Therefore, these measures must not be allowed to materialize.

ANALYSIS: Israel's real intention behind sanctions on Gaza Strip

Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff , Haaretz Correspondents. 26.10.07. There is an enormous gap between the reasons Israel is giving for the decision to impose significant sanctions against Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip, and the real intentions behind them. Defense Minister Ehud Barak authorized Thursday a plan for
disrupting electricity supply to the Gaza Strip, as well as significantly shrinking fuel shipments. This is supposed to reduce the number of Qassam rocket attacks against Sderot and the other border communities. In practice, defense officials believe that the Palestinian militants will intensify their attacks in response to the sanctions.
As such, the real aim of this effort is twofold: to attempt a new form of "escalation" as a response to aggression from Gaza, before Israel embarks on a major military operation there; and to prepare the ground for a more clear-cut isolation of the Gaza Strip - limiting to an absolute minimum Israel's obligation toward the Palestinians there.
Several weeks ago, Barak said Israel "is getting closer" to a major operation in the strip. Like Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, Barak is not excited about this possibility. He knows that it will not be easy, and there are no guarantees for positive results. Many soldiers will be killed and so will many innocent Palestinians, because the IDF will employ a massive artillery bombardment before it sends infantry into the crowded built-up areas. This will be a "dirty war," very aggressive, that will have scenes of destruction similar to southern Lebanon in 2006. The sole exception: unlike in Lebanon, the population there has nowhere to run. efense sources say the sanctions will lead the militants to intensify their attacks to show that they do not succumb to Israeli pressure.

Gaza. Israele toglie la luce Onu: così cresce la rabbia

l'Unità. 25.10.07. Gza senza luce. Il ministro della Difesa israeliano Ehud Barak ha deciso giovedì il taglio della corrente elettrica nella Striscia di Gaza. Una misura che viene duramente condannata da Christopher Gunness, portavoce dell'Unrwa: «La gente di Gaza si sente sempre più isolata e abbandonata; il blocco imposto da Israele sta contribuendo a radicalizzare gli animi e non porta sicuramente alla pace». Christopher Gunness, portavoce dell'organismo dell'Onu per l'assistenza ai rifugiati palestinesi rilascia una intervista all'agenzia cattolica Misna in cui sostiene che la misura approvata dal ministro della Difesa Ehud Barak per ridurre la fornitura di energia elettrica a Gaza può avere conseguenze ulteriormente negative per una popolazione già allo stremo. "Secondo i dati in nostro possesso - continua - il 35% della popolazione di Gaza vive al di sotto della soglia di povertà, il 44% della forza lavoro è disoccupata, il 90% degli stabilimenti produttivi è fermo; da mesi non si può né importare né esportare, oltre un milione di persone vive esclusivamente grazie alla distribuzione di viveri organizzata dall'Onu e da organizzazioni non governative". Una situazione al limite della sopportazione che alcuni giorni fa era stata descritta con toni preoccupati alla MISNA anche da John Dugard, l'inviato delle Nazioni Unite nei Territori Palestinesi: "E' da sette anni che visito con regolarità Cisgiordania e Gaza - aveva detto in quell'occasione Dugard - e da un punto di vista umanitario la situazione non è mai stata peggio di così. La chiusura dei principali valichi di frontiera ha rinchiuso la popolazione della Striscia in una vera e propria prigione: è impossibile la circolazione delle persone, difficile il reperimento di generi di prima necessità; ci troviamo di fronte a un serio livello di povertà che potrebbe anche generare una terza Intifada".

Cabinet decision will impose collective punishment on a civilian population, lead to grave breach of International Law

B'Tselem, 20/09/07. Seven Israeli human rights organizations jointly warn that yesterday's Cabinet decision to limit the electricity and fuel supply to the Gaza Strip and to further restrict movement in and out of Gaza will exacerbate the existing humanitarian crisis there. In addition, the sanctions constitute a grave breach of the foremost principle of international humanitarian law: the obligation to distinguish between combatants and civilians. In addition, the decision is liable to constitute a violation of one of the absolute prohibitions of international law: the ban on collective punishment. The coalition believes that these sanctions will also not prevent armed groups from launching rocket attacks on Israeli communities.

The Israeli Cabinet's claim that the proposed sanctions will not affect the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is false. Limiting the electricity supply will drastically reduce the functioning capacity of hospitals and health clinics. In addition, limited electricity will reduce Gaza 's water pumping system, and will cripple its sewage system and water supply. Thus, the Cabinet's decision not to cut Gaza 's water supply is not a humane gesture because the other sanctions will effectively diminish it in any case.

The human rights organizations urge the Cabinet to reverse its decision to impose collective punishment on the Gaza Strip – a grave violation of international humanitarian law.

The coalition of human rights groups consists of: The Association for Civil Rights in Israel; Bimkom – Planners for Planning Rights; B'Tselem – the Israeli Information Cent e r for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories; Gisha: Legal Center for Freedom of Movement; HaMoked: The Center for the Defense of the Individual; Physicians for Human Rights; The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel.

This is how the moderates look

Gideon Levy , Haaretz, 13/09/07. Haim Ramon has made a big comeback. As if renewing the Hebrew language, he has coined the term "infrastructural oxygen" - Israel should strike a blow at Gaza's infrastructural oxygen. Faithful to his suggestions in the Second Lebanon War ("It is permissible to destroy everything"), he is now the progenitor of the doctrine advocating cutting off the electricity, fuel and water supply to Gaza. Ramon is very proud of his demonic plan: "It's the first time the government has discussed these types of proposals," he said. In his eyes, the legal aspect is "hallucinatory"; there is no difference between Hamas and Al-Qaida. And what will happen if this cutoff of water and electricity to Gaza is not effective? "Until we try, we'll never know," the minister told an interviewer. That is, we are dealing with an experiment on human beings. As we all know, Ramon is a representative of a centrist party and is considered one of the party's moderates. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is a moderate, too. She also supports the Ramon doctrine. She says that, "It is inconceivable that life in Gaza continues to be normal." In the view of the moderate foreign minister, life in Gaza is "normal" - it seems she has no idea about what life is really like there - and a cutoff of supplies will bring an end to the Qassams. The hungry, thirsty and suffocating populace will exert pressure and, hocus pocus, there will be no more Qassams. These crazy ideas have elicited fewer arguments among us than the proposals to require bicycle riders to wear helmets. The whole debate was conducted in a dignified manner: One person proposes cutting off electricity, while another suggests putting an end to the supply of cigarettes and perfume. No one expresses any opposition or calls out in protest - all we have to do is hear the position of the legal advisors, to decide and then to execute. Avigdor Lieberman, Shaul Mofaz and Avi Dichter have become superfluous: The moderates are doing the necessary work. Israeli discourse has become monstrous - and the terrible thing about it is that these are no longer the proposals of the loony fringes, but rather of the centrist stream. How does the right-wing put it? "There are no moderate Palestinians." Well, there are no moderate Israelis. When it comes to us, the center is the right in disguise. But, as luck would have it, just as this incitement to commit war crimes was being raised, a report was issued at the end of last week by Human Rights Watch, a reputable and unbiased American organization. The report mentions evidence that Israel Defense Forces officers were responsible for committing war crimes in Lebanon and that Israel seriously violated international law in indiscriminately killing hundreds of citizens. Ramon and Livni's proposals have prepared the ground for the next report. After implementing the Ramon plan, the call will intensify to boycott Israel and bring those responsible for the next crime to trial. There is no room for debating legal nuances: Inflicting intentional harm against a civilian population constitutes a war crime. And 40 years of occupation in Gaza has not ended - it has only changed form. But Ramon's path is not only illegal and immoral, it is also ineffective. How long will we continue to believe that striking a population will make it more moderate? Are 40 years of bitter experience not enough to teach us that the opposite is true? Another question: Is Gilad Shalit's fate more dear to us than the fate of the children of Sderot? Why is it permissible to negotiate with Hamas when it comes to Shalit, while the option of similar talks with the group on a cease-fire - the only way to ensure the safety of Sderot's children - is considered heresy? The parents in Sderot should have been the first to call upon the government to reach a cease-fire, instead of dispatching the IDF into Gaza and carrying out Ramon's zany proposals. We should recall for a moment the last electric blackout we experienced. In June 2006, the Israel Electric Corporation implemented electric outages lasting several hours - just several hours. All hell was raised: Telephone exchanges collapsed as people stuck in elevators called for help; a resident of Ofakim who was attached to an oxygen machine was hospitalized in serious condition. Are Livni and Ramon prepared to realize the significance of cutting off "the infrastructural oxygen" for days and weeks? Are they ready to take responsibility for doing so after the world has had its say and perhaps even takes action? Several convicted statesmen are already sitting in the prisons in The Hague.