Red Cross Denounces ’Israel’s’ Pattern of Obstacles, Confiscations against Bedouins

Local Editor

The Red Cross said Thursday it has suspended provision of tents to displaced Palestinians in the Jordan Valley, in a rare protest over "Israeli" "confiscation" of aid material.

"We're suspending the distribution of tents and shelter materials because we have seen a pattern of obstacles and confiscations since the beginning of 2013," said Jon Martin Larsen, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC].

Until now, the aid group had been distributing tents to Palestinians left homeless by "Israel's" ongoing policy of house demolitions.
Last month, "Israeli" authorities demolished 27 homes in the Jordan Valley, leaving 147 people including 63 minors homeless.

Throughout 2013, a total of 124 residences were razed in the area, leaving 339 people homeless, 170 of them minors.

A joint statement Thursday from 25 international aid groups, among them Christian Aid and Oxfam, said the 2013 figure showed a 43 percent rise in demolitions over the preceding year and marked a 5-year high.
"In light of the alarming trends, we the undersigned local and international faith, aid, development, and human rights organizations call again for an immediate halt to the demolitions of Palestinian homes, and for "Israel" to facilitate immediate, full and unimpeded humanitarian access so that aid can reach people in need," it said.

Figures provided by the UN humanitarian agency OCHA show that the total number of structures destroyed in 2013, which includes non-residential buildings, stood at 390, up from 279 a year earlier.
Larsen said the move affects only shelter assistance in the Jordan Valley and not the distribution of other aid.
"We'll continue to distribute aid to people after house demolitions, including hygiene kits, kitchen sets and mattresses," he said.

As an example of the frequency of the problem, Larsen said that in 16 recent missions to help the displaced, the authorities had been involved six times in the "destruction or prevention" of aid distribution, affecting 200 people.

"Israel" regularly issues demolition orders for fragile tin houses inhabited by the Bedouin living in the Jordan Valley.

In September, "Israeli" troops manhandled a group of European diplomats as they tried to hand out tents to Bedouins whose West Bank homes had been destroyed by the army.

This is thought to be the first time the Red Cross has suspended tent distribution in the area.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team