American journalist activist Maureen Murphy: Israel is an occupying power, not a donor to the Palestinians

The American writer Maureen Claire Murphy has published an article confirming that Israel is an “occupying power”; therefore, it “has specific obligations under international humanitarian law towards the occupied people” in light of the outbreak of the Corona virus in the Palestinian territories. Murphy has published her article in the Chicago-based magazine ” electronic Intifada”, in which it criticized the statements of United Nations officials “who treated Israel as a donor and not as an occupying power” in light of the spread of the pandemic in the Palestinian territories.

Murphy stresses that Israel is an occupying power, not a donor, knowing that the occupying power “bears specific obligations under international humanitarian law” towards the occupied people.

Dealing with the occupation as a donor obscures Israel’s direct role in impeding the development of the Palestinian economy in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, as if it were a passive bystander of what is happening in those areas.

The Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem said, “The poor situation of the Palestinian health care system is a direct result of decades of Israeli occupation.” Israel, as the occupying power, is directly responsible for the health of the Palestinians who live under its rule.

“This responsibility includes responding to urgent needs, providing care and basic medical equipment, and implementing preventive measures to prevent pollution,” added B’Tselem.

Murphy says: “while its army brags about its efforts to deliver food to elderly Israeli settlers who are isolated in their homes, Israel is actively undermining the ability of Palestinians to respond to the pandemic.

The disparity in health between Israelis and Palestinians is not new. It is a direct result of the Israeli occupation and other violations. It is time to hold Israel accountable before the international law that they must abide by, rather than stacking it to repeat it only on rare occasions.

Check Also

Israeli Journalist Incites Against Palestinian Worshipers in Al-Aqsa Mosque

An opinion written by the journalist Noem Amir in “Makor Rishon” newspapers under the title …