Cliff Notes – Israel blocks meeting over independent Palestinian state

The UN reports Gaza as the “hungriest place on Earth,” with the entire population at risk of famine and limited aid deliveries failing to alleviate the crisis.
Currently, fewer than 600 out of nearly 900 approved aid trucks have been offloaded, leading to a severe scarcity of food for residents.
Despite extreme hunger conditions, a formal famine declaration has not occurred due to restricted access for data gathering, though thresholds indicating famine may have been met.

Israel-Gaza latest: Israel blocks meeting over independent Palestinian state | World News

Leaders from the Arab world due to visit Ramallah tomorrow on invitation of the Palestinian Authority – which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The meeting was due to bring together delegations from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the establishment of a Palestinian state.

In order for the meeting to go ahead, ministers required Israel to consent to travel to the West Bank from Jordan. This delegation included Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, which the Saudi’s took as an insult.

The Arab delegation had been encouraged by the United States to start discussions for a Palestinian State, which was in direct opposition to Netanyahu directives.

It reflects the extent of the Israeli government’s arrogance

In a joint statement posted by Jordan’s foreign ministry, the group said the decision “represents a blatant violation of Israel’s obligations as the occupying power“.

It added: “It reflects the extent of the Israeli government’s arrogance, its disregard for international law, and its continuation of illegitimate measures and policies that besiege the brotherly Palestinian people and their legitimate leadership”.

In order for the meeting to go ahead, ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain required consent from Israel to travel to the West Bank from Jordan.

They were later denied this, with an Israeli official calling the proposed meeting “provocative”.

Jordan’s foreign ministry confirmed the trip to Ramallah has now been postponed.

The genocide in Gaza has led to International condemnation for Israel, former allies are now seen as foes in Tel Aviv, so why is Israel blocking any roads towards peace.

Playing politics is all the Israel can do, The situation in Gaza is so bad, that the Israelis are afraid of letting ‘outsiders’ in. So until they are able to flatten it and hide the war crimes, they must continue to pushback against International objections.

It is one of the reasons why it will always object to the calls of a Palestinian State. An Israeli official called the proposed meeting of Arab ministers in Ramallah in the West Bank “provocative”.

President Trump said an agreement between Israel and Hamas is “very close”. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he’s agreed to the deal proposed by US but it would be an understatement to describe the situation as very fragile, a former United Nations adviser has said to WTX News.

Gaza has been described as the “hungriest place on Earth” by the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA).

Jens Laerke told reporters in Geneva that it is the only territory in the world where the entire population is at risk of famine.

As we have been reporting (see our 8.58am post) the resumption of limited aid deliveries has made little impact on hungry residents, according to the UN.

Laerke said less than 600 aid trucks have been offloaded in Gaza, out of nearly 900 that were approved to enter from Israel.

“It is drip-feeding food into an area on the verge of catastrophic hunger,” he insisted.

Despite the recurring warnings about a lack of food, famine has not officially been declared in Gaza. Here’s why.

What is famine?

The leading international authority on hunger crises, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), considers an area to be in famine when three things occur:

20% of households have an extreme lack of food, or essentially are starving;
At least 30% of children suffer from acute malnutrition or wasting, meaning they’re too thin for their height;
Two adults or four children per every 10,000 people are dying daily of hunger and its complications.

Why has famine not been declared in Gaza?

The main reason why famine has not been declared is independent access to Gaza is blocked by Israel. No experts are allowed to enter the Gaza strip, which means that gathering data is actual data to offcially declare a famine can not be done.

Last year, the IPC said famine can be classified in an area if “evidence” of two of the three above thresholds have been reached, and crossing the third appears likely to have happened. But it needs independent eyes to witness it first hand. Hence why Journalists and independent agencies have been blocked from entering the Gaza strip, even in times of truce.

Jens Laerke Deputy Spokesperson at United Nations OCHA said once IPS data shows an area has hit the threshold for a famine, it is a famine, announcement or not.