WRITTEN QUESTION

Submission: To the Commission

19 December 2002

Subject: Problem of malnutrition in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Based on the latest available data from the UN, there is a serious problem of malnutrition in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Specifically, Palestinians suffer mainly from micronutrient deficiencies—what the World Health Organization refers to as “Hidden Hunger.” Micronutrient deficiency deprives children of proper development, often severely and irreversibly damaging their cognitive function, weakens their immune system in both children and adults, and impairs mental and physical capabilities. In extreme cases, the result is blindness and death. At the same time, a study conducted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) finds that four out of five children in Gaza and the West Bank suffer from iron and zinc deficiencies, and more than half of the children show a lack of carbohydrates and vitamin A.

The Committee asks the Commission how it allocates the financial aid provided by the EU to Palestine in order to directly assist in addressing the situation.