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1. This article has been circulating in recent days. Written by an "expert", seemingly well-researched, yet sloppy with facts and highly misleading. This (long) thread explains why. It's for anyone genuinely interested in reality, not in exploiting it for anti-Israel propaganda. https://twitter.com/thenation/status/1243964829955743744
2. First, some numbers. The claim Gaza has only 200 COVID19 test kits links to 13 March article about ONE shipment out of several reported since (see link). By last week there were well over 1k kits in G. Palestinian Authority (PA) got 3k more, inc for G. https://m.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/COGAT-coordinates-the-delivery-of-more-coronavirus-equipment-into-Gaza-621722/
3. The article compares Gaza's stock of ventilators and hospital beds to Israel and rich western countries claiming the wide gap is a manifestation of Israel's "intentional weakening of economic and social capacities of Gaza's population". But if that's the case, why
4. is the stat for hospital beds in the West Bank exactly the same as in G (1.3/1k)? Why is this number so close to countries in the region, e.g Jordan (1.4), Egypt (1.6), Morocco (1.1) etc.? Gaza needs more beds/ventilators, but no evidence here of Israeli "de-development".
5. Same re ventilators. Gaza's figure of 3/100k ppl is indeed far lower than Israel's (40), a country at constant high emergency preparedness, but not far below pre-CV19 Spain (5.4) or UK (7.5) and way higher than many dev countries e.g. Nigeria and Ghana (0.3). So comparing
6. Gaza's health system with those in countries x40 of its GDP/c and blaming Israel for the gaps is ridiculous, esp when a comparison with GDP-equivalent countries gives the opposite picture. But the bigger problem is the implicit claim that Israel actively prevents Gaza from
7. having more hospital beds or ventilators, when G's health system has been fully sponsored by Ramallah-based PA in past 25 yrs, IL never prevented any of that equip going in, and last year PA opposed building a new hospital in Gaza for political reasons. https://m.jpost.com/israel-news/pa-opposes-construction-of-new-hospital-in-gaza-603036/amp
8. The article goes on to show that infant mortality and life expectancy in Gaza are worse that in Israel, again without hinting they are nearly the same as the West Bank's, are at/above regional levels, and way above averages for dev countries. See this table:
8. Therefore, Gaza's health problems are real, but its health indicators are similar, in some cases better, than those in comparison groups that are geographically and economically relevant. If a sinister Gaza "de-development" plot exists, you can't see it in these numbers.
9. I believe the author understands that, which is why he goes on to pile up numbers of different sorts, not a single one substantiating in any way his overarching claim of Israeli blame. Take the figure of over 90% of Gaza underground water unfit for human consumption. The World
10. Bank cites 2 reasons 4 that: over-pumping of the coastal aquifer (who's doing the pumping in Gaza since 2005? Not Israel) and contamination by untreated sewage (who in recent years has been deliberately causing electricity shortages in Gaza causing sewage flows? Not Israel).
11. An honest writer on this issue would also inform his readers on the current international effort, with full Israeli support, to provide long term solutions for Gaza's water shortages. All widely reported, like this new water pipeline to Gaza. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-lays-fourth-largest-yet-water-pipeline-to-gaza/
12. It gets even worse when the author, to highlight Gaza's density, quotes population figures in two of its refugee camps, which are *more than double* the official 2017 census figures:
Jabalya Camp:
Article - 113,990
Census -49,462
Beach Camp:
Article - 85,628
Census - 40,734
Jabalya Camp:
Article - 113,990
Census -49,462
Beach Camp:
Article - 85,628
Census - 40,734
13. I wonder if in his academic hat this author would accept such flimsiness of facts and arguments in a paper by a BA student. I hope not, for his students' sake. But the responsibility here lies with @thenation for running such a piece not just because of its factual errors
14. but mostly because its headline makes a terrible accusation that Israel "intentionally weakened the economy and health" of Gaza, but it's body fails to provide a single shred of evidence for that. That's called demonization. To be clear, Gaza would have been better
15. off if it hadn't been taken over 13 years ago by a terrorist group which prioritizes building its military machine over the welfare of its population and exploits civilian movement in and out of Gaza for that purpose, while "experts" ensure only Israel will be blamed.
