Ref: 64/2022
Date: 12 June 2022
Press release,
ICSPR: The official Palestinian authorities need to address the successive rise in the prices of commodities, especially basic ones.
The International Commission to Support Palestinians’ Rights “ICSPR” follows the successive rise in commodity prices in the occupied Palestinian territories with great concern, which led to the phenomenon of outrageous prices that are disproportionate to the standard of living and individual income, in addition to widespread poverty, unemployment and food insecurity for most citizens, especially in light of the absence of national policies capable of addressing or limiting the impact of the global crisis on local markets.
The successive rise in prices, especially food items and basic consumer goods, is accompanied by the tax policies applied by the local authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip alike. That clearly shows the tax policies’ lack of consideration for the current economic and social situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially in the Gaza Strip, which suffers as a result of the continuing Israeli siege.
ICSPR is aware of the current global crises, especially the conflict in Ukraine and the economic and trade crisis, which have had a global tangible impact on the global economy, and stresses that it is the duty of the Palestinian authorities to work to provide and improve the elements of a decent life for citizens and to strengthen their steadfastness, especially in the Gaza Strip.
ICSPR assures the modesty of all the measures announced by the Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, due to their inability – up to this moment – to ensure curbing the phenomenon of high prices and addressing the impact of this on Palestinian society, especially on marginalized and poor groups. Therefore:
- ICSPR calls on the official Palestinian authorities to reconsider the prices of goods and products, and intervene to support basic commodities by allocating financial budgets for them.
- ICSPR calls on the Ministry of National Economy in both parts of the country to reconsider all current tax policies to ensure their fairness, credibility, legality, and their observance of the deteriorating economic and social conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially the Gaza Strip.
- ICSPR urges the concerned authorities to carry out their duties towards imposing control over the market movement, protecting the consumer, establishing Consumer Cooperative Associations; and counter monopolistic policies.
Finally, ICSPR affirms that the realization of rights and economic and social protection for the Palestinian citizen, and the protection of society economically and socially from the consequences of the global rise in prices should be a priority for the Palestinian government in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
