Grassroots International

Beginning Thursday, Feb. 7, Israel will reduce supplies of electricity it sells to Gaza, as part of punitive measures taken against Gaza's civilian population, with the approval of Israel's Supreme Court. The cutbacks to electricity were permitted after Israel's Supreme Court last week rejected a petition by ten Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations challenging Israel's planned reductions to the supplies of electricity and fuel it allows Gaza residents to purchase.

Today marks the 59th anniversary of the International Human Rights day. It is the day the UN declared the issuance of the "International Declarations of Human Rights" to put new international foundations for enforcing and respecting the sacred life and dignity of human beings. It might be a co-incidence for the birth of this declaration with the anniversary of the Palestinian uprooting in 1948, still experienced by Palestinians up until today.

Gaza Community Mental Health Program (GCMHP) is gravely concerned regarding the decision of the Israeli Security Cabinet which designates the Gaza Strip as anEnemy Entity and makes a plan to impose collective punishment against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.

According to information by media sources, the Israeli plan aims to reduce providing the Gaza Strip with electricity and Fuels to the minimum level that will be sufficient only for public sector use only. This is in addition to imposing more restrictions on the movement of goods and individuals through crossings dominated by Israeli occupation forces and restrictions on the flow of money transfer through banks.