[wvns] Gaza's Fish Break the Blockade
Gaza`s fish break the blockade
Yousef Alhelou
electronicintifada
http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=19919
Joy has filled the hearts of hundreds of Palestinian fishermen in the
Gaza Strip this week as they expressed their happiness over the most
plentiful fishing season in 40 years. The news is all the more sweet
considering the Israeli navy's restrictions on fishing off of Gaza`s
coast.
There are some 433 boats registered at Gaza`s port, but only a few of
them are seaworthy; fewer still risk the Israeli-imposed ban on Gaza`s
fishermen. Collectively, Palestinian fishermen have seen their monthly
catch drop from 823 tones in June 2000 to as low as 50 in late 2006.
The number of registered fishermen has also dropped significantly,
from as many as 5,000 in the 1980s to less than 3,000 today, according
to the UN. At least 35,000 Gazans directly rely on the fishing
industry for subsistence, amid poverty levels that the UN pegs at more
than 80 percent in Gaza.
In 2000, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics valued the
industry at 10 million dollars; today it is a mere shadow of that
productivity.
The World Bank cited Israel`s closure, restrictions and ban regime as
`above all` responsible for the economic crisis.
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza has been monitoring
the closure regime and its weekly reports invariably include attacks
on fisherman and their equipment by Israeli forces. According to their
most recent report, `Fishermen have been subjected to intensive
monitoring by the Israeli occupation forces, which use helicopters,
gunships and gunboats` against the small fishing crafts.
Palestinian fishermen are routinely arrested and shot at by the
Israeli navy. In the past year, four fishermen have been killed after
being attacked by Israeli forces. Dozens have been arrested.
Palestinians are often compelled to fish within a few hundred meters
of the beach, or even cast their homemade nets from the shoreline.
Under current restrictions, Palestinians are allowed to fish only up
to six nautical miles off the Gaza coast, whereas a deal in 2002
between the UN and Israel allowed for fishing up to 12 miles off the
coast and the Oslo Accords of 1993 gave fishing rights for up to 20
miles.
This spring was a surprise for fishermen and drew smiles on their
faces as their nets yielded sardines, which Gazans always crave for.
Gazans usually buy frozen fish, because the fishing industry is
destroyed and because Gaza does not have a sea port. Also, as fish is
very expensive, many families cannot afford to buy it due to the lack
of salaries and lack of money.
Rami Abu Hasirah, a fisherman, said, `Thanks to God, today fishermen
netted tonnes of sardines, which will compensate all the losses over
the past months.`
Munir Al-Hessi, a fisherman, said, `I`m very excited. This season is a
surprise for all of us. Other fishermen and I are subject on a daily
basis to the Israeli gunboats and vessels and we risk our lives to
feed our families, but today, I earned $500! Finally, I will be able
to support my family.`
Hani Gandil, 48, said while buying sardines: `I usually buy frozen
fish but when it comes to sardines, I buy them fresh. This season, the
sardines seem bigger and more numerous. May God protect the fishermen,
who risk their lives to carry out their job in order to feed their
children and bring us these sardines.`
Hamdi Baker, 42, fisherman, said: `Today the sardines broke the
blockade!`
Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, who lives in Ash-Shati` (Beach) camp,
to the west of Gaza City, just next to the sea, shared the fishermen`s
joy.
Yousef Alhelou is a freelance Palestinian journalist based in Gaza,
and a contributor to several media outlets. He also presents Gaza`s
only live English program across radio stations in the Gaza Strip. He
can be contacted at ydamadan at hotmail.com.
Photo:
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh shares the happiness of
Palestinian fishermen after a bumper catch of fish off the coast of
Gaza, 8 May 2007. (Mohammad Al-Oztaz/MaanImages/POOL/PPMO)
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