Back off - UN's message to Israel

NEW YORK - The United Nations General Assembly has expressed grave concern over Israel's continued occupation of Palestinian cities and the "dire humanitarian situation" facing Palestinians.

The resolution, drafted by European Union and Palestinian envoys and approved 114 to four with 11 abstentions, demands the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian cities and towns and stresses the need for free access to Palestinian areas at all times by medical and humanitarian relief organisations. It "condemns also all attacks against civilians on both sides".

One in five young Palestinian children is suffering from malnutrition as Israeli blockades and curfews make food hard to come by, preliminary findings of a joint Palestinian-international study showed yesterday.

The survey, funded by aid organisations and conducted by two Palestinian institutions - Al Quds University and the Global Management Consulting Group, with technical assistance by the US Johns Hopkins University - showed that 22.5 per cent of children under five in the West Bank and Gaza Strip were malnourished.

Of those, 13.2 per cent were suffering from chronic malnutrition, which the study said was on par with Nigeria and Chad.

The figures were lower than those published last week by the Palestinian Statistics Bureau in a Unicef-backed report, which said one in two young Palestinian children suffered from chronic malnutrition.

Israel and Palestinian security officials met yesterday in an effort to keep talks alive. Israeli helicopters fired three missiles at what the military said was a Palestinian arms factory in Gaza City, wounding two people.

- REUTERS

Feature: Middle East

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