16.11.03
14-year-old Palestinian killed; ICRC ends emergency program
Israeli soldiers killed a 14-year-old boy near Nablus. He was shot in the stomach while reportedly throwing stones at the soldiers.
Meanwhile, the ICRC is ending its emergency food aid program in the West Bank. The organization says it is Israel's responsibility as the occupying power to meet the humaitarian and economic needs of the Palestinians.
Israeli soldiers killed a 14-year-old boy near Nablus. He was shot in the stomach while reportedly throwing stones at the soldiers.
Meanwhile, the ICRC is ending its emergency food aid program in the West Bank. The organization says it is Israel's responsibility as the occupying power to meet the humaitarian and economic needs of the Palestinians.
Vincent Bernard, an ICRC spokesman, said: "This was humanitarian relief designed to assist in a humanitarian emergency, not to address the longer-term problems caused by curfews, closures and the collapse of the economy that has occurred. It is not our responsibility to take care of the economic needs of the Palestinians. We have repeatedly said it is the responsibility of the occupying power."The Israeli press had earlier reported that the ICRC's representative said that the Palestinians face a humanitarian crisis in the West Bank and Gaza.
Mr Bernard denied Israeli press reports that the food programme had been cancelled for budgetary reasons. "As the occupying power, Israel has the responsibility to minimise the humanitarian consequences of its actions," he said. "You cannot go on for ever with the curfews and closures which are destroying the Palestinian economy. They have to find a different way to guarantee their security. If they lifted these security measures, the Palestinian economy, though damaged, would start again."
