OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

News24: Amnesty International Slams Israeli Policy

JERUSALEM -- Restrictions imposed by Israel in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have had a disastrous impact on the lives of Palestinians and crippled their economy, a report by Amnesty International said on Monday.

"Unemployment and poverty has spiralled, malnutrition has emerged, anaemia and other health problems have increased and education has been negatively affected," the report by the London-based rights group said.

Sweeping and indiscriminate restrictions on Palestinians and their goods violated their right to freedom of movement and the right to work, it added.

"Some 60 percent of Palestinians now live below the poverty line of $2 per day and most are forced to depend on aid," it said.

"The high levels of unemployment, poverty, malnutrition and other health problems afflicting Palestinians are not just a humanitarian problem -- they are the direct result of the restrictions imposed by Israel on the Palestinians in the occupied territories."