GENEVA, December 10, 2008 (WAFA)- Richard Falk, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, said, Tuesday, that, steps to alleviate the 'humanitarian catastrophe' in Gaza must be taken immediately, calling on the world body to turn its words into action.

In a statement of which WAFA received a copy, Falk said that although UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, General Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, among other top officials, have voiced their concerns over the 'desperate plight' of Gaza’s civilian population, Israel still 'maintains Gaza siege in its full fury, allowing only barely enough food and fuel to enter to stave off mass famine and disease,' he said, characterizing the policy as one of 'collective punishment' initiated by Israel to punish Gazans for political developments within the Gaza strip. He said that this policy constitutes a continuing flagrant and massive violation of international humanitarian law as laid down in Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Acknowledging the potential political difficulties, Falk said 'it is time to act,' adding that at the very least, the UN should make efforts to implement the principle of a 'responsibility to protect' a civilian population being collectively punished by policies that amount to a Crime Against Humanity. As AbuZayd has written, 'the chasm between word and deed' with respect to upholding human rights in occupied Palestine creates a situation where 'radicalism and extremism easily take root.'

In a similar vein, it would seem mandatory for the International Criminal Court to investigate the situation, and determine whether the Israeli civilian leaders and military commanders responsible for the Gaza siege should be indicted and prosecuted for violations of international criminal law. As AbuZayd has declared, 'This is a humanitarian crisis deliberately imposed by political actors.'

A limited amount of food entered Gaza, but this is still not enough, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) warned.The agency will hold its annual pledging conference today at UN Headquarters in New York. Its general budget requirements for 2009 amount to nearly $550 million for education, health, social support and microfinance services. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged Member States to fully fund the budget to maintain essential services for 4.6 million registered Palestine refugees.

'Closures in the West Bank and the blockade of Gaza add to the terrifying sense of being trapped, physically, intellectually and emotionally, depriving children of that simplest of rights, the right to be a child,' said Ms. AbuZayd.

It is a criminal violation of international law for elements of Hamas or anyone else to fire rockets at Israeli towns regardless of provocation, but such behavior does not legalize Israel's imposition of a collective punishment of a life- and health-threatening character on the people of Gaza, and should not distract the UN or international society from discharging their fundamental moral and legal duty to render protection to the Palestinian people. Following