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Palestinian children demonstrating against the sanctions on Gaza Strip earlier this month. (AP)
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Last update - 00:36 20/11/2007
IDF: Gaza fuel cuts don't violate humanitarian duty
By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: fuel cuts, High Court 

Israel's decision to cut fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip does not violate its responsibility to provide humanitarian services to residents of the coastal territory, an Israel Defense Forces official maintained on Monday.

Shlomi Muchtar of the IDF Coordination and Liaison Office, which coordinates Palestinian civilian affairs, wrote in an affidavit to the High Court of Justice that the cuts do not "harm the humanitarian minimum to which Israel is committed."

The affidavit was submitted after High Court justices last week ordered the State Prosecution to present data affirming that Israel's move would not affect the humanitarian needs of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.
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The affidavit said that Israel intends to cut diesel fuel supplies for transportation purposes from 1.4 million liters per week to 1.2 million, and diesel fuel supplies for power stations from 2.2 liters per week to 1.75 liters.

According to IDF calculations, humanitarian needs require 800,000 liters of diesel each week. "And that's a strict estimate," the affidavit said.

The High Court hearing is in response to the petition of ten Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations against the state's decision to cut fuel and electricity supplies in response to constant Qassam rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into western Israel.

The State Prosecution will submit to the High Court additional calculations regarding the humanitarian needs of the Gaza population, and will also note ways it will supervise the ramifications of the cuts, to ensure the population's needs are being met.

The government also intends to cut electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip. However, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz froze the current defense establishment's plan to do so, saying that the it must be examined further to determine whether the measure can be implemented without causing a humanitarian crisis.

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      1.   Indeed, there is no humanitarian violation at all 21:45  |  Anat 19/11/07
      2.   What do the thugs & goons of the IDF know about humanitarianism? 21:51  |  Clickfool 19/11/07
      3.   why the high court? 22:16  |  steve dill 19/11/07
      4.   I wish..... 22:17  |  fish 19/11/07
      5.   No. 2 Clickfool 22:17  |  Steve 19/11/07
      6.   GOOD MOVE IDF, DO IT 22:22  |  BOB KING THE ZIONIST 19/11/07
      7.   let Israel live on 800,000 liters for a week 22:27  |  Sarah 19/11/07
      8.   Why is the High Court involved? This must be a political decison! 22:29  |  redmike 19/11/07
      9.   The same people claiming knowledge of human rights... 22:54  |  Maureen Ann 19/11/07
      10.   cut all of fuel and food 23:05  |  Halil el Amar 19/11/07
      11.   To Clickfool 23:20  |  ottomatik 19/11/07
      12.   humanitarian duty - what`s the f. is that 23:51  |  joe 19/11/07
      13.   #5 Steve MN 00:21  |  * BEN JABO 20/11/07
      14.   #7 Sarah - Less diesel fewer Kassams 00:25  |  * BEN JABO 20/11/07
      15.   #9 Urine Ann 00:28  |  * BEN JABO 20/11/07
      16.   what humanitarian duty?? 00:31  |  david 20/11/07
      17.   What Responsibility, We`re after Disengagement 00:53  |  Mike 20/11/07
      18.   #8 Redmike, Israel has signed HR treaties 01:00  |  Johnboy 20/11/07
      19.   #4 other tax money 01:01  |  Tobia 20/11/07
      20.   Israel is not the Only one to blame..Egypt.. 01:13  |  Ali 20/11/07
      21.   Humanitarianism is irrelevant 01:16  |  Boycott 20/11/07
      22.   This is the word of the lord 01:30  |  Take heed 20/11/07
      23.   Johnboy 18 All very well but.. 01:39  |  Free Gilad Shalit 20/11/07
      24.   Why are we obligated??? 01:43  |  Shoshana 20/11/07
      25.   While the enemy respect nothing , not even visit to Shalit , 01:50  |  Joseph E . 20/11/07
      26.   Stop blaming Israel and the IDF 01:50  |  Shoshana 20/11/07
      27.   This report is proof of antisemitism , corruption and wickedness 01:57  |  Joseph E . 20/11/07
      28.   And cutting supplies 02:04  |  Mark Lincoln 20/11/07
      29.   Is this a joke? 02:37  |  Deborah 20/11/07
      30.   What do the Hamas/Jihad/PLO thugs know about humanitarianism? 02:40  |  Joe Sittizen 20/11/07
      31.   Cut all supplies for 1000 years, then kill all the terrorists NOW 02:41  |  Johnny 20/11/07
      32.   cut electricity, napalm the funeral processions 05:17  |  akiva (zionist) 20/11/07
      33.   blockade or occupation doesn`t matter 05:35  |  Omran 20/11/07
      34.   THE ONLY SOLUTION:RETAKE GAZA, W.BANK,END TERROR, NO HUMAN CRISIS 06:36  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 20/11/07
      35.   In Israel, a humanitarian crisis among Arabs is not a bad thing 06:43  |  Natallie Durson 20/11/07
      36.   THE ONLY SOLUTION: RETAKE GAZA, W.BANK, END TERROR, HUMAN CRISIS) 06:58  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 20/11/07
      37.   #17 "What responsibility"? shrugs Mike 08:08  |  Johnboy 20/11/07
      38.   CUT POWER NOW AND ELECTIONS NOW TOO 08:53  |  GRIM REAPER 20/11/07
      39.   #28 Lincoln -Abe would be ashamed of you 12:19  |  * BEN JABO 20/11/07
      40.   #23 Then get on with it, sonny 13:43  |  Johnboy 20/11/07
      41.   #5, Steve... 19:50  |  Silvienne 20/11/07
      42.   #41 Silvienne - You must take Steve 20:37  |  * BEN JABO 20/11/07
      43.   #42, Ben Jabo... 03:09  |  Silvienne 21/11/07
      44.   mindless terrorists 15:32  |  mary sparrowdancer 21/11/07
      45.   #43 Silviene - Your memory is pretty good 17:43  |  * BEN JABO 21/11/07
      46.   #45, Ben Jabo.... 20:13  |  Silvienne 21/11/07
      47.   #44, Mary Sparrowdancer... 20:15  |  Silvienne 21/11/07
      48.   $46 Silvienne 02:59  |  * BEN JABO 22/11/07
      49.   #47 Silvienne 03:02  |  * BEN JABO 22/11/07
      50.   #44 Mary sparrowdancer - stop dancing 03:10  |  * BEN JABO 22/11/07
      51.   #49, Ben Jabo... 07:58  |  Silvienne 22/11/07
      52.   #51 Silvienne 18:49  |  * BEN JABO 22/11/07
      53.   #52, Ben Jabo & Bush`s Legacy... 05:54  |  Silvienne 23/11/07
      54.   #53 Silvienne 06:40  |  * BEN JABO 23/11/07
      55.   #54, Ben Jabo... 05:47  |  Silvienne 24/11/07
      56.   Silvienne -Tunnels 01:47  |  * BEN JABO 25/11/07
      57.   #56, Ben Jabo... 02:24  |  Silvienne 26/11/07
      58.   #57 Silvienne - What I say you can quote 04:21  |  * BEN JABO 26/11/07
      59.   #58, Ben Jabo... 03:22  |  Silvienne 27/11/07
      60.   #59 Silvienne 16:42  |  * BEN JABO 27/11/07
      61.   #60, Ben Jabo... 04:50  |  Silvienne 28/11/07
      62.   #61 Silvienne - you`re always mentioning money 14:03  |  * BEN JABO 28/11/07
      63.   #62, Ben Jabo... 04:34  |  Silvienne 01/12/07
      64.   #35 natalie 23:28  |  leo 05/12/07
      65.   you want out you gotta get out! 20:27  |  Space 06/12/07
      66.   #39 Ben Jabo 22:34  |  Space 06/12/07
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