On the Situation in the West Bank Report

From

 نقابة العاملين في الخدمات البريدية - فلسطين 
Palestinian Postal Services Workers Union - PPSWU
palpostmen@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/PPSWU/

The West Bank is experiencing a large-scale military campaign by the Israeli occupation forces, particularly in the refugee camps of Jenin, Al-Far’a, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams. This has led to severe disruptions in daily life, with over 30,000 families displaced from their homes in these camps, now seeking refuge in schools due to military operations and financial blockades imposed on these areas. Additionally, Israel has effectively fragmented the West Bank by increasing checkpoints, gates, and roadblocks, causing severe traffic congestion between Palestinian cities and villages.

The postal and logistics sectors are suffering significantly, as daily operations are paralyzed, workers face difficulties reaching their workplaces, and businesses experience a decline in operations. Customers have lost confidence in delivery services due to prolonged vehicle inspections at checkpoints, leading to delays and harming service reliability. Furthermore, the delay in paying public sector salaries has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Palestinian society. This report highlights the operational challenges, their impact on workers, and the efforts of the Postal Services Workers' Union to address these issues.

Operational Challenges
1. Security and Mobility Restrictions:
Postal teams face severe mobility restrictions due to intensified military checkpoints and roadblocks, leading to a decline in service operations. Some delivery companies have ceased operations and laid off workers.
Postal and delivery vehicles are frequently delayed or even confiscated, eroding trust in logistics and delivery services.
2. Infrastructure Destruction:
Military operations have caused significant damage to infrastructure in refugee camps and cities, including road destruction, making some areas, like parts of Jenin camp, completely inaccessible and uninhabitable.
3. Financial Blockade and Its Consequences:
Israel’s withholding of Palestinian tax revenues has left the Palestinian Authority unable to pay salaries on time, deepening the humanitarian crisis, particularly for public sector employees, including postal workers. Many have only received partial payments since October 2021.
Economic decline has resulted in job losses in the logistics and delivery sectors, leaving many workers without income.

Impact on Postal Sector Workers in the West Bank
1. Displacement and Loss of Housing:
Over 3,000 people have been displaced from Jenin camp alone, in addition to others from Tulkarm and Al-Far’a. Among them are union members, whom the union has provided with financial assistance and basic humanitarian support. Many are now living outside the camps after their homes were destroyed, particularly in Al-Far’a camp, where dozens of houses were recently demolished.
2. Economic and Living Conditions:
Delayed salaries have led to accumulating debt and an inability to meet basic needs, such as healthcare and education, affecting more than 400 postal workers and their families, putting them at severe financial and health risk.
Psychological stress due to instability and the ongoing military campaign has led to mental health issues among workers and their families, particularly children and young people.

Union Efforts and Challenges
The union is striving to provide urgent assistance (such as food supplies and legal support), but access to displaced or besieged members remains challenging.
The union relies on local and international donations, which are insufficient to meet the growing needs.
Collaboration with other organizations has been initiated to offer psychological support to workers and their families, but continued Israeli military operations hinder these efforts.

Recommendations
1. Appeal to the International Community:
Pressure Israel to release the withheld Palestinian tax revenues and lift the financial blockade on the Palestinian Authority.
Provide urgent financial support to ensure salary payments for public sector workers, including postal employees.
Secure humanitarian grants through international organizations to provide housing and healthcare for displaced persons in Palestinian refugee camps.
Strengthen global solidarity with the Palestinian cause by boycotting Israel, imposing sanctions, and divesting from Israeli companies.

Conclusion
The crisis facing postal and delivery workers in the West Bank is part of a broader struggle under occupation. The PPSWU calls for urgent action to safeguard the postal sector and protect workers' rights, emphasizing that the sustainability of postal services depends on lifting the blockade and achieving economic justice.