3rd June 2010<br><br>The People’s Health Movement (PHM)1, strongly condemns the Israeli government’s violent and<br>premeditated attack on the civilian flotilla’s carrying peaceful activists and humanitarian aid to Gaza on<br>
31st May 2010.<br>The Israeli army’s attack using live ammunition, which resulted in death of civilians and took place in<br>international waters, was a direct violation of international maritime law. The activists were protesting<br>
the Israeli blockade on Gaza. It appears that at least 9 civilians were killed (according to the Israeli<br>sources), with dozens of others injured.<br>We note that the flotilla, among other forms of humanitarian aid, was carrying vital supplies required to<br>
address the rapidly deteriorating situation in Gaza as regards health and health care. It included<br>essential medicines, wheelchairs and building materials – vital supplies needed to rebuild health<br>facilities, address the acute shortage of medicines and help in the rehabilitation of people maimed as a<br>
result of military action by Israel.<br>The United States backed Israeli government has for many years violated the human rights of<br>Palestinian people, through the occupation of Palestinian territories; the economic blockade against<br>
Gaza; and ongoing military action against civilian population under occupation. The impact on the<br>physical and mental wellbeing of people, especially women and children is severe (please see<br>People’s Charter for Health).<br>
In their recent Human Rights Report, Amnesty International highlights the impact of the collective<br>punishment of people living in Gaza as having “deepened the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Mass<br>unemployment, extreme poverty, food insecurity and food price rises caused by shortages”. Clearly,<br>
the people in Gaza face a health emergency, contributed to by the decimation of health care facilities,<br>as well as by the impact of the blockade and military actions on social determinants of health.<br>1<br> PHM is a global network bringing together grassroots activists, civil society organizations and<br>
academics from around the world, particularly from low income countries. PHM works towards the<br>revitalisation of primary health care and works to address the social determinants of health, including<br>in particular, the growing inequity within and between nations, mostly due to unfair economic<br>
structures which lock so many people into poverty and poor health. We have a presence in more than<br>70 countries around the globe.<br> Mailing Address: P.O.Box 13698 St. Peter's Square, Mowbray 7705, Cape Town, South Africa. Tel: 027 21 4473037<br>
Fax: 027 866 707216 E-mail: <a href="mailto:secretariat@phmovement.org">secretariat@phmovement.org</a> Web: <a href="http://www.phmovement.org">www.phmovement.org</a><br>The People’s Health Movement demands:<br>
A credible and independent investigation into this barbaric attack on peaceful civilians;<br> Israel to allow for the free flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. According to the UN, only a<br> fraction of aid required is entering Gaza.<br>
That Israel immediately suspends the economic blockade on Gaza and ends the occupation of<br> Palestinian territories;<br> That governments around the world sever diplomatic, trade and military ties with Israel and<br>
support the international campaign of Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against the<br> Apartheid Israeli state.<br>We call on civil organizations and citizens around the world to pressurize their governments to take<br>
action against Israel, to put pressure on Israel to allow humanitarian aid and food into Gaza; and to<br>end the blockade on Gaza which is negatively impacting on large numbers of innocent women and<br>children, elderly and the sick. We appeal to ordinary citizens in Israel to condemn this dastardly act of<br>
their Government and to articulate a reversal of the Israeli Government’s policy towards Palestine.<br>Bridget Lloyd (Global Co-ordinator on behalf of the secretariat)<br>Prem John (Co-chairperson, India), Fran Baum (Co-Chairperson, Australia) Hani Serag (Associate<br>
coordinator, Egypt), Amit Sengupta (Associate Coordinator, India), Alexis Benos (Greece), Arturo<br>Quizhpe (Ecuador), Bala (Sri Lanka), Claudio Schuftan (Vietnam), David Legge (Australia), David<br>McCoy (United Kingdom), David Sanders (South Africa), Delen de la Paz (Philippines), Ekbal (India),<br>
Jihad Mashal (Palestine), Lanny Smith (USA), Maija Kagis (Canada), Margarita Posada (El Salvador),<br>Maria Hamlin Zuniga (Nicaragua), Martin Khor, (Malaysia), Mira Shiva (India), Qasem Chowdury<br>(Bangladesh), Ravi Narayan (India), Sarah Shannon (USA), Zafrullah Chowdhury (Bangladesh)<br>
On behalf of the People’s Health Movement<br> Mailing Address: P.O.Box 13698 St. Peter's Square, Mowbray 7705, Cape Town, South Africa. Tel: 027 21 4473037<br> Fax: 027 866 707216 E-mail: <a href="mailto:secretariat@phmovement.org">secretariat@phmovement.org</a> Web: <a href="http://www.phmovement.org">www.phmovement.org</a><br>
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