21 feb 2015
The former British leader turned Mideast peace envoy talks to Nahum Barnea about his revolutionary three-pronged plan for the troubled Gaza Strip, even as the countdown to the next conflict has started.
On Sunday, Tony Blair was in the Gaza Strip, his first visit there since 2009. It was a surprise visit - his guards deliberated up until the last moment whether to allow him to join the convoy.
He started his visit at a checkpoint in the Hamas-run territory. He avoided meeting the Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh, but met three members of the Government of National Consensus established last year in an attempt to end years of infighting between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority – the ministers for Labor, Justice and Welfare. The convoy took the western road, through Beit Lahia and the Shata refugee camp. They took him to Saja'iyya to see the destruction from Operation Protective Edge last summer; they took him to an UNRWA school to see how Gazans who lost their homes are now living.
The highlight of the visit was a meeting with 90 businesspeople - old and young. They received him extremely warmly, and he flashed them his million-dollar smile. And at the end, they all stood in line for a selfie with him.
Blair, now 62, was a Labor Party man who led the British government for 10 years. His historic achievement was the agreement that ended the decades-old conflict in Northern Ireland. Immediately after he stepped down in 2007, he was appointed the Quartet Representative to the Middle East. He represents the combined will of the US, Russian, the EU and the UN - if such a will even exists. He is the region every three to four weeks, when he meets heads of state, urges them to reconcile, to cooperate and promote peace.
They listen politely, and afterwards do the exact opposite. Like the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, only the smile remains after him. I met him in Jerusalem on Monday. What did you see in Gaza, I asked. "The reality is very difficult," Blair says. "This is bad for them, and it's bad for all of us. The problem goes beyond the physical destruction of the war; Gaza has been abandoned for years. "
The responsibility for the situation lies on all of us - the international community, Hamas, the PA, Egypt and Israel. Terror comes out of Gaza, and the question is what can be done to stop it: Do you open Gaza up or shut it down? Israel has faced this dilemma for a long time, and now Egypt is going through the same process. I say - let's change the reality completely."
You're a practical man, I say, what do you suggest be done? "Right," he replies, "that's why I say the situation cannot be left the way it is. It's important for you, for Israel. You cannot live with rockets from Gaza. On the other hand, you do not want to reoccupy. This means that the next military conflict is not far off. "I suggest acting on three fronts: First, rehabilitate the water and energy infrastructure, let in construction materials in a way that will not harm security, (and) support the economy.
"Second, bring about a change in Palestinian politics - pose difficult questions to Hamas: Will they accept an arrangement with Israel based on the 1967 lines, are they prepared to end terrorism, are they prepared to end their ties with outside terror forces? "Third, Egypt. The Egyptian demands on security from Hamas must be met - and then that will change its approach towards Gaza."
What makes you think this is possible, I ask. "The regional picture," he states. "I hear from Arab leaders of state the same things I hear from Israel: ISIS is dangerous, Iran is dangerous. Israel doesn't understand how much the regional reality has changed. The entire region is in a state of upheaval, and we continue to look at the (Israeli-Palestinian) conflict as if nothing has changed.
"I believe that Israel can create a partnership with countries in the region - Saudi Arabia, for example, and the Gulf states. The blockage is the Palestinian problem. This is a highly charged issue, emotional, even for moderate forces. The change is, of course, also dependent upon the Palestinians. I say to the Israelis that peace doesn't only depend on you, but you must strive for peace. If you don't, your situation in the world will worsen."
You talk of strategic change, I say, but even the money pledged to reconstruct Gaza has not arrived.
"The money isn't coming in because at the moment there's no united Palestinian government," says Blair. "The PA and Hamas both need to change their position. I have always said that the Palestinian unity government must be based on the peace process. "Time after time, the two sides to the conflict (Israel and the Palestinians) were put into a room, on the assumption that if they sit together, they'll reach an agreement. I say, first of all, let's change the conditions (on the ground).
Let's start with the steps that Israel can take in order to improve (Palestinian) daily lives. It's not hard to do that." What do you think about the clash between Netanyahu and the Obama government, I ask. Can Netanyahu's trip to Washington prevent the coming agreement with Iran? "You have to wait and see what's put on the table," says Blair. "At the end of the day, the Israeli and American interests are identical. I have no doubt about that." As we're talking, senior Hamas official Mussa Abu Marzouk announces that his organization has rejected the demands presented by Blair in Gaza. Blair doesn't give up. On Monday, he went to Jordan for a meeting with King Abdullah. He came here from Cairo, where he pushed his regional vision. Don't you miss Ireland, I ask. The war there was so simple, so innocent compared to our wars.
He laughs, a broad, deep laugh. The laugh of a man who has seen it all and done it all. Kito de Boer, the new head of the Quartet office who joined our conversation, also laughs. We laughed and laughed, until it hurt.
On Sunday, Tony Blair was in the Gaza Strip, his first visit there since 2009. It was a surprise visit - his guards deliberated up until the last moment whether to allow him to join the convoy.
He started his visit at a checkpoint in the Hamas-run territory. He avoided meeting the Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh, but met three members of the Government of National Consensus established last year in an attempt to end years of infighting between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority – the ministers for Labor, Justice and Welfare. The convoy took the western road, through Beit Lahia and the Shata refugee camp. They took him to Saja'iyya to see the destruction from Operation Protective Edge last summer; they took him to an UNRWA school to see how Gazans who lost their homes are now living.
The highlight of the visit was a meeting with 90 businesspeople - old and young. They received him extremely warmly, and he flashed them his million-dollar smile. And at the end, they all stood in line for a selfie with him.
Blair, now 62, was a Labor Party man who led the British government for 10 years. His historic achievement was the agreement that ended the decades-old conflict in Northern Ireland. Immediately after he stepped down in 2007, he was appointed the Quartet Representative to the Middle East. He represents the combined will of the US, Russian, the EU and the UN - if such a will even exists. He is the region every three to four weeks, when he meets heads of state, urges them to reconcile, to cooperate and promote peace.
They listen politely, and afterwards do the exact opposite. Like the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, only the smile remains after him. I met him in Jerusalem on Monday. What did you see in Gaza, I asked. "The reality is very difficult," Blair says. "This is bad for them, and it's bad for all of us. The problem goes beyond the physical destruction of the war; Gaza has been abandoned for years. "
The responsibility for the situation lies on all of us - the international community, Hamas, the PA, Egypt and Israel. Terror comes out of Gaza, and the question is what can be done to stop it: Do you open Gaza up or shut it down? Israel has faced this dilemma for a long time, and now Egypt is going through the same process. I say - let's change the reality completely."
You're a practical man, I say, what do you suggest be done? "Right," he replies, "that's why I say the situation cannot be left the way it is. It's important for you, for Israel. You cannot live with rockets from Gaza. On the other hand, you do not want to reoccupy. This means that the next military conflict is not far off. "I suggest acting on three fronts: First, rehabilitate the water and energy infrastructure, let in construction materials in a way that will not harm security, (and) support the economy.
"Second, bring about a change in Palestinian politics - pose difficult questions to Hamas: Will they accept an arrangement with Israel based on the 1967 lines, are they prepared to end terrorism, are they prepared to end their ties with outside terror forces? "Third, Egypt. The Egyptian demands on security from Hamas must be met - and then that will change its approach towards Gaza."
What makes you think this is possible, I ask. "The regional picture," he states. "I hear from Arab leaders of state the same things I hear from Israel: ISIS is dangerous, Iran is dangerous. Israel doesn't understand how much the regional reality has changed. The entire region is in a state of upheaval, and we continue to look at the (Israeli-Palestinian) conflict as if nothing has changed.
"I believe that Israel can create a partnership with countries in the region - Saudi Arabia, for example, and the Gulf states. The blockage is the Palestinian problem. This is a highly charged issue, emotional, even for moderate forces. The change is, of course, also dependent upon the Palestinians. I say to the Israelis that peace doesn't only depend on you, but you must strive for peace. If you don't, your situation in the world will worsen."
You talk of strategic change, I say, but even the money pledged to reconstruct Gaza has not arrived.
"The money isn't coming in because at the moment there's no united Palestinian government," says Blair. "The PA and Hamas both need to change their position. I have always said that the Palestinian unity government must be based on the peace process. "Time after time, the two sides to the conflict (Israel and the Palestinians) were put into a room, on the assumption that if they sit together, they'll reach an agreement. I say, first of all, let's change the conditions (on the ground).
Let's start with the steps that Israel can take in order to improve (Palestinian) daily lives. It's not hard to do that." What do you think about the clash between Netanyahu and the Obama government, I ask. Can Netanyahu's trip to Washington prevent the coming agreement with Iran? "You have to wait and see what's put on the table," says Blair. "At the end of the day, the Israeli and American interests are identical. I have no doubt about that." As we're talking, senior Hamas official Mussa Abu Marzouk announces that his organization has rejected the demands presented by Blair in Gaza. Blair doesn't give up. On Monday, he went to Jordan for a meeting with King Abdullah. He came here from Cairo, where he pushed his regional vision. Don't you miss Ireland, I ask. The war there was so simple, so innocent compared to our wars.
He laughs, a broad, deep laugh. The laugh of a man who has seen it all and done it all. Kito de Boer, the new head of the Quartet office who joined our conversation, also laughs. We laughed and laughed, until it hurt.
Nahal soldiers move to Kibbutz Kfar Aza to help community get back on its feet in the wake of Operation Protective Edge.
While Israel Defense Forces troops were busy destroying a terror tunnel between Gaza's Saja'iyya neighborhood and Kibbutz Nahal Oz, Sergeant Ofek Glazer went out to work as usual in the community garden of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a stone's throw away from the very same tunnel.
Last summer, Glazer saw action as a combat soldier in Gaza; now, as part of their Nahal military service, he and 11 of his fellow fighters have taken up residence in the Gaza-border community and are trying to help the kibbutz get back onto its feet in the wake of Operation Protective Edge.
"We really wanted to do this this work, to strengthen the kibbutzim in the area," Glazer says. "We looked into it ourselves and we asked the United Kibbutz Movement, which is responsible for the project, how to get here."
Didn't your parents think you were crazy? After fighting in Protective Edge, don't you deserve a break from this area?
"No, they are very encouraging," says Glazer, who works in the community garden and is also involved in educational activities with high school students. "It was important for us to come to a place like this and do educational work. The danger exists, but it doesn't deter us at all. People live here after all, so why not?"
Are the people here traumatized?
"It's very hard to see," says Ziv Ganor, who works in the kibbutz's groundskeeping department and is also coordinates a project involving activities among the community's youth and its elderly residents. "I noticed that when someone goes by on a tractor or some other noisy vehicle, the small children get a fright and block their ears. That was one of the welcomes I experienced; it was terrible."
"We arrived on the very same day that the entire kibbutz returned, so we saw everything as it was – with the holes made by the rockets that hit some of the homes," says Lior Gruner, who works with Glazer in the garden and with the high-school students. I felt I was in the right place. Suddenly my being there was of significance; and together with the community that has returned, we will try to do what needs to be done."
Shahar Rabinowitz grew up in Metsuba, on the border with Lebanon, and knows all too well what the Gaza-border residents have been through. "Katyusha rockets were something I grew up with," he says. "When I got here, it felt like I was meeting myself from seventh grade. We also grew up in bomb shelters and went on holiday to Tel Aviv to relax. I can understand the people here."
A tunnel from Gaza to Kibbutz Nahal Oz has just been destroyed. How does that make you feel?
Glazer: "It puts things into perspective. It's funny that you talk about fear. When we were there, in Gaza, the mortars that reach here sometimes rained down on us in the dozens, endlessly – from above, from below, on the house in which we were and all around us. We've already grown indifferent because you get used to it."
In retrospect, where you feel more at ease – here without weapons, or in Gaza with your weapons and all?
Ganor: "It's strange for me sometimes, but I'm a little complacent. I don't feel traumatized like the people here on the kibbutz. It's been very quiet here ever since we arrived."
"When I got here, I missed the action a little. I missed the shooting range exercises, the patrols, the guard duty and the weapons," confesses Tuval Elias from the IDF's Caracal Battalion, which is stationed along the Egyptian border
Will you still be here in 50 years?
Glazer: "Please God, we will all still be here together."
Elias: "Without making any commitment, I see myself studying in the area and continuing to live in Kfar Aza. Raising children is still a long way off for me, but I'd be happy to stay here."
While Israel Defense Forces troops were busy destroying a terror tunnel between Gaza's Saja'iyya neighborhood and Kibbutz Nahal Oz, Sergeant Ofek Glazer went out to work as usual in the community garden of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a stone's throw away from the very same tunnel.
Last summer, Glazer saw action as a combat soldier in Gaza; now, as part of their Nahal military service, he and 11 of his fellow fighters have taken up residence in the Gaza-border community and are trying to help the kibbutz get back onto its feet in the wake of Operation Protective Edge.
"We really wanted to do this this work, to strengthen the kibbutzim in the area," Glazer says. "We looked into it ourselves and we asked the United Kibbutz Movement, which is responsible for the project, how to get here."
Didn't your parents think you were crazy? After fighting in Protective Edge, don't you deserve a break from this area?
"No, they are very encouraging," says Glazer, who works in the community garden and is also involved in educational activities with high school students. "It was important for us to come to a place like this and do educational work. The danger exists, but it doesn't deter us at all. People live here after all, so why not?"
Are the people here traumatized?
"It's very hard to see," says Ziv Ganor, who works in the kibbutz's groundskeeping department and is also coordinates a project involving activities among the community's youth and its elderly residents. "I noticed that when someone goes by on a tractor or some other noisy vehicle, the small children get a fright and block their ears. That was one of the welcomes I experienced; it was terrible."
"We arrived on the very same day that the entire kibbutz returned, so we saw everything as it was – with the holes made by the rockets that hit some of the homes," says Lior Gruner, who works with Glazer in the garden and with the high-school students. I felt I was in the right place. Suddenly my being there was of significance; and together with the community that has returned, we will try to do what needs to be done."
Shahar Rabinowitz grew up in Metsuba, on the border with Lebanon, and knows all too well what the Gaza-border residents have been through. "Katyusha rockets were something I grew up with," he says. "When I got here, it felt like I was meeting myself from seventh grade. We also grew up in bomb shelters and went on holiday to Tel Aviv to relax. I can understand the people here."
A tunnel from Gaza to Kibbutz Nahal Oz has just been destroyed. How does that make you feel?
Glazer: "It puts things into perspective. It's funny that you talk about fear. When we were there, in Gaza, the mortars that reach here sometimes rained down on us in the dozens, endlessly – from above, from below, on the house in which we were and all around us. We've already grown indifferent because you get used to it."
In retrospect, where you feel more at ease – here without weapons, or in Gaza with your weapons and all?
Ganor: "It's strange for me sometimes, but I'm a little complacent. I don't feel traumatized like the people here on the kibbutz. It's been very quiet here ever since we arrived."
"When I got here, I missed the action a little. I missed the shooting range exercises, the patrols, the guard duty and the weapons," confesses Tuval Elias from the IDF's Caracal Battalion, which is stationed along the Egyptian border
Will you still be here in 50 years?
Glazer: "Please God, we will all still be here together."
Elias: "Without making any commitment, I see myself studying in the area and continuing to live in Kfar Aza. Raising children is still a long way off for me, but I'd be happy to stay here."
IRIN
Just over 5 percent of the money pledged to rebuild Gaza after last summer's devastating 50-day war with 'Israel' has been delivered. More than 2,000 Palestinians – the majority civilians – were killed during the conflict and around 100,000 homes were destroyed. Six months since a ceasefire was agreed, many families are still sleeping in temporary shelters.
Five months ago world leaders promised over $5 billion for reconstruction, redevelopment, and government assistance. Yet only a fraction has actually materialized.
"Approximately USD$300 million" has been received so far, a source at the office of the Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa - who is heading up the government's reconstruction efforts in Gaza - told IRIN.
"Projects [that are] being held up because of the lack of donations are major reconstruction projects, chief among them housing and road reconstruction," the source said.
The revelation follows comments by Robert Turner, the Gaza head of UNWRA – the UN agency for Palestine refugees – that "virtually none" of the pledged funds had reached the territory.
Broken promises?
The $5.4 billion that was promised the Cairo conference exceeded the $4 billion the Palestinian Authority said it needed. About $2.8 billion of the pledged money was earmarked for the first three years of reconstruction. Yet only a fraction of that has been made available.
Tracking down who promised what has proved stubbornly difficult.
The website of the conference, which was hosted by Egypt and Norway, contains no specific breakdown of funding pledges.
IRIN asked the Norwegians to provide a full list of promises made, but Frode Overland Anderson, a spokesperson for Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs, told IRIN "it is not feasible to make a complete and detailed breakdown of pledges from the Cairo conference." The reasons, Anderson said, were "partly because donors have [yet] to provide a comprehensive breakdown of their contributions and partly due to conditions on the ground that are preventing [disbursement of] further installments."
However, some say there has been too little emphasis placed on chasing up the money. Contrasting it with pledging conferences for Syria, one UN staffer said the Egyptians had not been sufficiently pro-active.
"When Kuwait organized the conference on Syria the secretariat followed strict procedures to ensure that the money got paid, including inviting donors to meetings. Egypt has done nothing."
Egyptian officials did not respond to requests for comment.
In fact it was only in mid-January, ahead of a donors' meeting in March, that Norway formally requested the World Bank to track down how much money had been delivered.
According to Steen Lau Jorgensen, the World Bank's Country Director for Gaza and the West Bank, the process will "include a report ... that will reflect the pledges of Gaza reconstruction disbursed through all channels and the timing for disbursement. It will also assess to what extent the donors have realized their pledges and will break down the list of pledges into budget support and Gaza reconstruction."
Political uncertainty
One European diplomat told IRIN that although the lack of actual disbursement so far is especially low in this case, conferences are notorious for producing big headline figures that don't ultimately materialize. "These kinds of pledging events tend to produce much more in pledges than what is actually delivered," he said. "I doubt that we have ever seen a pledging conference where commitments were ever followed up completely."
But even before Cairo, donors expressed frustration that they were expected to pay to rebuild a territory that would likely descend into repeated violence without a durable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hamas and Fatah, the two leading Palestinian factions, reached a political agreement ending seven years of bitter division just before the latest outbreak of hostilities with Israel. But the new joint government of technocrats has yet to take over in the Gaza strip leaving Hamas – considered a terrorist organization by the United States – still in charge. That is a matter of concern for some donors.
A senior European Union diplomat who is familiar with the situation told IRIN, "Donors are holding back until the Palestinian Authority gets a foothold in Gaza." "We need to see some signs of political certainty and there is none," he said.
The source in the Palestinian deputy prime minister's office agreed that some "donors seem to be hesitant in fulfilling their pledges as the reconciliation agreements seem to be at an impasse." But he added, "the [Palestinian] government believes reconstruction efforts should proceed regardless of the progress in implementing the agreement."
Everyone IRIN spoke to agreed that the United Nations-brokered Reconstruction Monitoring Mechanism, designed to allow construction materials into Gaza while assuaging Israeli concerns about security, is now operating. But the broader Israeli blockade of Gaza remains in place and Norway said there is still "the challenge of providing sufficient volumes of building materials into Gaza."
The European Union diplomat said concerns about Israeli control over the borders added to worries about Gaza's political situation. "The fact of the matter is that a lot of the money pledged in Cairo was premised on the Israelis easing the blockage ... so that people would be able to travel more freely keeping in mind security concerns, and that the Palestinian Authority would be able to play more of a role of authority in Gaza. These two admittedly complicated issues have not materialized in a way that gives anyone a feeling this is worth the money at the moment."
Slow trickle
The Gulf Arab states in particular pledged-high at Cairo: Qatar promised some $1 billion, the United Arab Emirates $200 million, and Saudi Arabia $500 million ahead of the conference.
Yet so far they have made only limited payments due to the lack of political change. Said the European official: "there is some disappointment than Arab countries may have made commitments that are not delivering ... it is particularly difficult to get them to commit to actually provide cash which is what is now needed," as opposed to in-kind donations – providing the required goods and services themselves. The cash shortage is particularly acute for projects carried out by UNRWA, which recently had to suspend its financial assistance for rent and home repairs because of a lack of funding.
UNRWA spokesperson Chris Gunness said "donors have been generous but unfortunately this does not cover all the needs; hence we were forced to suspend the cash progamme for rent and rebuilding which are among the most urgent needs."
The European Union diplomat said these countries, with their political ties to Gaza, are as keen as the Europeans to see change from the Israelis and the Palestinian Authority. "The ones who have come up with big figures, the Qataris, the Saudis and the Turks, they need to see some progress, truth be told."
A humanitarian crisis
The limited funds that have been made available have allowed some reconstruction work to begin: come schools and health facilities have been patched up and there have been emergency repairs on electricity, water, and sanitation networks. The huge piles of rubble, left behind after the Israeli bombardment, are now starting to be cleared.
But Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri told IRIN he doesn't see much progress "Gaza residents don't notice any real effort to start reconstruction operations, except very little amounts that are used to rehabilitate, restore, and repair some houses here and there."
Larger projects, including rebuilding roads and economic infrastructure, are nearly ready to begin but will remain on hold until the money arrives. Anderson, spokesperson for Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told IRIN. "While the UN system has made its best effort to address the short-term needs, further implementation requires swift financial contributions by the donors."
The Palestinian source said donors should "be reminded that the people of Gaza are in dire need, and that failing to move forward with reconstruction could have negative impacts on security and stability in the region."
Just over 5 percent of the money pledged to rebuild Gaza after last summer's devastating 50-day war with 'Israel' has been delivered. More than 2,000 Palestinians – the majority civilians – were killed during the conflict and around 100,000 homes were destroyed. Six months since a ceasefire was agreed, many families are still sleeping in temporary shelters.
Five months ago world leaders promised over $5 billion for reconstruction, redevelopment, and government assistance. Yet only a fraction has actually materialized.
"Approximately USD$300 million" has been received so far, a source at the office of the Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa - who is heading up the government's reconstruction efforts in Gaza - told IRIN.
"Projects [that are] being held up because of the lack of donations are major reconstruction projects, chief among them housing and road reconstruction," the source said.
The revelation follows comments by Robert Turner, the Gaza head of UNWRA – the UN agency for Palestine refugees – that "virtually none" of the pledged funds had reached the territory.
Broken promises?
The $5.4 billion that was promised the Cairo conference exceeded the $4 billion the Palestinian Authority said it needed. About $2.8 billion of the pledged money was earmarked for the first three years of reconstruction. Yet only a fraction of that has been made available.
Tracking down who promised what has proved stubbornly difficult.
The website of the conference, which was hosted by Egypt and Norway, contains no specific breakdown of funding pledges.
IRIN asked the Norwegians to provide a full list of promises made, but Frode Overland Anderson, a spokesperson for Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs, told IRIN "it is not feasible to make a complete and detailed breakdown of pledges from the Cairo conference." The reasons, Anderson said, were "partly because donors have [yet] to provide a comprehensive breakdown of their contributions and partly due to conditions on the ground that are preventing [disbursement of] further installments."
However, some say there has been too little emphasis placed on chasing up the money. Contrasting it with pledging conferences for Syria, one UN staffer said the Egyptians had not been sufficiently pro-active.
"When Kuwait organized the conference on Syria the secretariat followed strict procedures to ensure that the money got paid, including inviting donors to meetings. Egypt has done nothing."
Egyptian officials did not respond to requests for comment.
In fact it was only in mid-January, ahead of a donors' meeting in March, that Norway formally requested the World Bank to track down how much money had been delivered.
According to Steen Lau Jorgensen, the World Bank's Country Director for Gaza and the West Bank, the process will "include a report ... that will reflect the pledges of Gaza reconstruction disbursed through all channels and the timing for disbursement. It will also assess to what extent the donors have realized their pledges and will break down the list of pledges into budget support and Gaza reconstruction."
Political uncertainty
One European diplomat told IRIN that although the lack of actual disbursement so far is especially low in this case, conferences are notorious for producing big headline figures that don't ultimately materialize. "These kinds of pledging events tend to produce much more in pledges than what is actually delivered," he said. "I doubt that we have ever seen a pledging conference where commitments were ever followed up completely."
But even before Cairo, donors expressed frustration that they were expected to pay to rebuild a territory that would likely descend into repeated violence without a durable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hamas and Fatah, the two leading Palestinian factions, reached a political agreement ending seven years of bitter division just before the latest outbreak of hostilities with Israel. But the new joint government of technocrats has yet to take over in the Gaza strip leaving Hamas – considered a terrorist organization by the United States – still in charge. That is a matter of concern for some donors.
A senior European Union diplomat who is familiar with the situation told IRIN, "Donors are holding back until the Palestinian Authority gets a foothold in Gaza." "We need to see some signs of political certainty and there is none," he said.
The source in the Palestinian deputy prime minister's office agreed that some "donors seem to be hesitant in fulfilling their pledges as the reconciliation agreements seem to be at an impasse." But he added, "the [Palestinian] government believes reconstruction efforts should proceed regardless of the progress in implementing the agreement."
Everyone IRIN spoke to agreed that the United Nations-brokered Reconstruction Monitoring Mechanism, designed to allow construction materials into Gaza while assuaging Israeli concerns about security, is now operating. But the broader Israeli blockade of Gaza remains in place and Norway said there is still "the challenge of providing sufficient volumes of building materials into Gaza."
The European Union diplomat said concerns about Israeli control over the borders added to worries about Gaza's political situation. "The fact of the matter is that a lot of the money pledged in Cairo was premised on the Israelis easing the blockage ... so that people would be able to travel more freely keeping in mind security concerns, and that the Palestinian Authority would be able to play more of a role of authority in Gaza. These two admittedly complicated issues have not materialized in a way that gives anyone a feeling this is worth the money at the moment."
Slow trickle
The Gulf Arab states in particular pledged-high at Cairo: Qatar promised some $1 billion, the United Arab Emirates $200 million, and Saudi Arabia $500 million ahead of the conference.
Yet so far they have made only limited payments due to the lack of political change. Said the European official: "there is some disappointment than Arab countries may have made commitments that are not delivering ... it is particularly difficult to get them to commit to actually provide cash which is what is now needed," as opposed to in-kind donations – providing the required goods and services themselves. The cash shortage is particularly acute for projects carried out by UNRWA, which recently had to suspend its financial assistance for rent and home repairs because of a lack of funding.
UNRWA spokesperson Chris Gunness said "donors have been generous but unfortunately this does not cover all the needs; hence we were forced to suspend the cash progamme for rent and rebuilding which are among the most urgent needs."
The European Union diplomat said these countries, with their political ties to Gaza, are as keen as the Europeans to see change from the Israelis and the Palestinian Authority. "The ones who have come up with big figures, the Qataris, the Saudis and the Turks, they need to see some progress, truth be told."
A humanitarian crisis
The limited funds that have been made available have allowed some reconstruction work to begin: come schools and health facilities have been patched up and there have been emergency repairs on electricity, water, and sanitation networks. The huge piles of rubble, left behind after the Israeli bombardment, are now starting to be cleared.
But Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri told IRIN he doesn't see much progress "Gaza residents don't notice any real effort to start reconstruction operations, except very little amounts that are used to rehabilitate, restore, and repair some houses here and there."
Larger projects, including rebuilding roads and economic infrastructure, are nearly ready to begin but will remain on hold until the money arrives. Anderson, spokesperson for Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told IRIN. "While the UN system has made its best effort to address the short-term needs, further implementation requires swift financial contributions by the donors."
The Palestinian source said donors should "be reminded that the people of Gaza are in dire need, and that failing to move forward with reconstruction could have negative impacts on security and stability in the region."
20 feb 2015
House hit by mortar shell in Sderot during Operation Protective Edge
At least 1,000 children from Sderot undergo psychological treatment due to trauma following Operation Protective Edge, but despite government’s decision to reinforce city's Mental Health Center, there is only one psychiatrist available.
While many Sderot residents suffer severe psychological trauma due to their prolonged exposure to an unstable security situation, there is only one psychiatrist available to the 22,000 people living in the Negev city.
Despite data indicating a rise in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates among locals and requests for psychological help, such services are sparse in the area: one psychiatrist passed away, and another has been ill for a long period of time, leaving the frustrated patients with practically nowhere to turn to for emotional care, with only one psychiatrist left working in the city.
Employees of the Center for Social Rights in Sderot recently sent a warning letter to the Health Ministry as part of a joint effort between students from the Sapir Academic College and locals. “There is no need to elaborate on the situation in the city, but we would like to remind (the Health Ministry of) the decision of the government on July 13, 2014 regarding the ‘running of a night medical clinic and the reinforcement of the staff at the Sderot Mental Health Center,'" wrote Attorney Eitan Michaeli and Attorney Becky Cohen-Keshet, volunteers of the city’s Center for Social Rights and with Physicians for Human Rights.
"Not only was the reinforcement not given, but the Sderot residents who need psychological support and individual therapy are left untreated. We were contacted by worried locals who sense severe neglect on the part of those responsible for mental health services," they wrote.
One resident, referred to as A., 31-years-old, has been receiving treatment in the mental health clinic for the past two and a half years, since being injured in a work accident, and suffers from PTSD. He usually meets with a social worker in the clinic, and receives medical and medicinal treatment from a psychiatrist. “Lately, I didn’t have that, and it affected me in a bad way. The medicines had negative effects, but there was no one to consult with, so I decided to stop taking them. I was out of balance – nervous and impatient, and ultimately it led me to suicidal thoughts.”
Lawyer Michaeli explained: “In Sderot, there are people with different levels of mental illness, like any other city. They are entitled to receive treatment. They shouldn’t have to go to Be’er Sheva or Ashkelon. Beyond that, many are mentally ill due to the security situation over the past 14 years." The mental health center, he explained, operates as a joint venture between the Barzilai Medical Center and the Sderot Municipality. “One psychiatrist died and was not replaced, another psychiatrist has been ill for the past two months, and now there is only one psychiatrist. The social worker who was there resigned, but said he was willing to work part-time until they found a replacement; however, they rejected his offer."
“We sent a letter to the Health Ministry and got a call on the same day…it was clear from the conversation that they hadn’t done anything regarding the issue until then,” Michaeli said. The effort partially paid off, however, when a social worker began working part-time in the center. The Health Ministry said in response: “The Health Ministry and the Barzilai Medical Center are making every effort to recruit mental health personnel for work in the periphery, including Sderot.”
“It takes between 1-2 years to heal such trauma"
Dr. Benny Fisher, head of the Education Ministry's Administration for Rural Education and Youth Immigration, said at the Be’er Sheva Conference on the Wellbeing of the Child held at Ben Gurion University that about 1,000 children are in therapy because of Operation Protective Edge.
Talia Levanon, Director of the Israel Trauma Coalition, also spoke at the conference and expressed her concern about the future of the children living under trauma. “What kind of adults will they become? They will suffer developmental delays, coping difficulties…these are just some of the reactions that can arise as a result of a situation of ongoing stress.”
Zamira Ben Yossef, the principal of a school in the western Negev, added that the educational teams were also in need of care. “A significant number of students and teachers have been in a state of post-traumatic stress for months, which is hurting both their personal well-being and their studies.” Yael Adar, the Eshkol Regional Council Education Department Manager, said that the children living in the council “do not go outside to play, because they always have to be in a protected area. They don’t live a normal life.”
According to her, in a period of calm, it can take about one to two years to heal trauma. Considering that such conditions do not exist in the Gaza-border communities, there are many cases of children and even teenagers who returned to sleep with their parents, and shower with the door open, despite a conflicting desire for privacy.
At least 1,000 children from Sderot undergo psychological treatment due to trauma following Operation Protective Edge, but despite government’s decision to reinforce city's Mental Health Center, there is only one psychiatrist available.
While many Sderot residents suffer severe psychological trauma due to their prolonged exposure to an unstable security situation, there is only one psychiatrist available to the 22,000 people living in the Negev city.
Despite data indicating a rise in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates among locals and requests for psychological help, such services are sparse in the area: one psychiatrist passed away, and another has been ill for a long period of time, leaving the frustrated patients with practically nowhere to turn to for emotional care, with only one psychiatrist left working in the city.
Employees of the Center for Social Rights in Sderot recently sent a warning letter to the Health Ministry as part of a joint effort between students from the Sapir Academic College and locals. “There is no need to elaborate on the situation in the city, but we would like to remind (the Health Ministry of) the decision of the government on July 13, 2014 regarding the ‘running of a night medical clinic and the reinforcement of the staff at the Sderot Mental Health Center,'" wrote Attorney Eitan Michaeli and Attorney Becky Cohen-Keshet, volunteers of the city’s Center for Social Rights and with Physicians for Human Rights.
"Not only was the reinforcement not given, but the Sderot residents who need psychological support and individual therapy are left untreated. We were contacted by worried locals who sense severe neglect on the part of those responsible for mental health services," they wrote.
One resident, referred to as A., 31-years-old, has been receiving treatment in the mental health clinic for the past two and a half years, since being injured in a work accident, and suffers from PTSD. He usually meets with a social worker in the clinic, and receives medical and medicinal treatment from a psychiatrist. “Lately, I didn’t have that, and it affected me in a bad way. The medicines had negative effects, but there was no one to consult with, so I decided to stop taking them. I was out of balance – nervous and impatient, and ultimately it led me to suicidal thoughts.”
Lawyer Michaeli explained: “In Sderot, there are people with different levels of mental illness, like any other city. They are entitled to receive treatment. They shouldn’t have to go to Be’er Sheva or Ashkelon. Beyond that, many are mentally ill due to the security situation over the past 14 years." The mental health center, he explained, operates as a joint venture between the Barzilai Medical Center and the Sderot Municipality. “One psychiatrist died and was not replaced, another psychiatrist has been ill for the past two months, and now there is only one psychiatrist. The social worker who was there resigned, but said he was willing to work part-time until they found a replacement; however, they rejected his offer."
“We sent a letter to the Health Ministry and got a call on the same day…it was clear from the conversation that they hadn’t done anything regarding the issue until then,” Michaeli said. The effort partially paid off, however, when a social worker began working part-time in the center. The Health Ministry said in response: “The Health Ministry and the Barzilai Medical Center are making every effort to recruit mental health personnel for work in the periphery, including Sderot.”
“It takes between 1-2 years to heal such trauma"
Dr. Benny Fisher, head of the Education Ministry's Administration for Rural Education and Youth Immigration, said at the Be’er Sheva Conference on the Wellbeing of the Child held at Ben Gurion University that about 1,000 children are in therapy because of Operation Protective Edge.
Talia Levanon, Director of the Israel Trauma Coalition, also spoke at the conference and expressed her concern about the future of the children living under trauma. “What kind of adults will they become? They will suffer developmental delays, coping difficulties…these are just some of the reactions that can arise as a result of a situation of ongoing stress.”
Zamira Ben Yossef, the principal of a school in the western Negev, added that the educational teams were also in need of care. “A significant number of students and teachers have been in a state of post-traumatic stress for months, which is hurting both their personal well-being and their studies.” Yael Adar, the Eshkol Regional Council Education Department Manager, said that the children living in the council “do not go outside to play, because they always have to be in a protected area. They don’t live a normal life.”
According to her, in a period of calm, it can take about one to two years to heal trauma. Considering that such conditions do not exist in the Gaza-border communities, there are many cases of children and even teenagers who returned to sleep with their parents, and shower with the door open, despite a conflicting desire for privacy.
A top United Nations official warned, on Wednesday, of an ‘increasingly toxic environment’ in the besieged Gaza Strip and called on Israel to release Palestinian tax revenues.
Briefing the UN Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman discussed what he described as ‘another tumultuous and deadly month in the Middle East’, taking the opportunity to warn about “steadily increasing tensions and swelling violence.”
“We see the circumstances in Gaza as becoming increasingly worrisome as we approach the six-month mark since the end of last summer’s conflict. The combination of the failure to rectify the persistent governance and security issues and the slow pace of reconstruction has created an increasingly toxic environment.”
Expressing his concerns about the adverse impacts on the two-state solution, Feltman said, according to WAFA: “The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians continues to threaten further escalation. As we warned this Council last month, if this occurs it may have highly damaging, and potentially irreversible, consequences for both parties and for the two-state solution.”
Pointing to a total of $200 million in Palestinian tax revenues withheld by the Israeli Government, Feltman said that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is facing “acute fiscal challenges that must be urgently addressed,” and described PA’s approach to lend from private banks to pay portion of its civil servants’ salaries as “neither sufficient nor sustainable.”
“Paralyzing the Palestinian Authority from conducting essential Government business – including functions related to health services and law and order – is in no one’s interest. Israel’s action is a violation of its obligations under the Paris Protocol of the Oslo Accords and we, again, call for an immediate reversal of this decision.”
See also: Abbas Vows "Harsh Steps" over Israeli Withholding of PA Tax Revenues
Conveying the Secretary-General’s call for both sides to refrain from unilateral steps that could further aggravate the situation, Feltman highlighted the Quartet's call for Gaza reconstruction to be accelerated and stressed the need for ‘concrete actions’ and ‘clear unity of purpose’ from the international community so that the Quartet can play an effective role.
Feltman expressed his concerns about the fragile security situation, the volatile political dynamics and the persistently slow pace of reconstruction:
“The often-repeated political challenges in Gaza endure and represent clear dangers for stability. They include the moribund effort to consolidate ceasefire arrangements and the absence of genuine intra-Palestinian reconciliation, including the outstanding issues of unpaid salaries to Gaza public sector employees and civil service reform.”
The UN political chief claims that the temporary Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism was “functioning and delivering concrete results,” pointing to 50 construction projects that were under consideration and to the fact that over 75,000 Palestinians have been cleared to receive construction material for shelter repairs, over 47,000 have already procured construction material to date.
Feltman stated that a key factor is that international donors to fulfill their pledges without further delay, warning that failing to do so threatens another escalation in the Strip.
“While the primary obligation evidently lies with the parties, a key component of reversing these negative trends is implementation of the financial commitments made by donors at the Cairo conference. Failure to deliver the necessary support is putting an almost unbearable strain on an already highly fractious environment.”
He noted in this respect that UNRWA urgently needs $100 million for its cash assistance programme and that another $705 million are needed for addressing the humanitarian needs of 1.6 million Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
He reiterated the Secretary-General’s call for Egyptian authorities to re-open the Rafah crossing and expressed his concerns about the continued clashes in the occupied West Bank during the reporting period.
Referring to the demolition of Palestinian houses by Israel, Feltman urged Israel to cease such demolitions and displacements of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and Area C and to facilitate international assistance to vulnerable communities, stressing that Area C is fundamental to the contiguity of the West Bank and the viability of Palestine and its economy.
He also expressed his disappointment about the latest tenders to construct settler’s units in West Bank settlements, reiterating that “settlement activity is illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace,” and calling for it to be halted and reversed.
In conclusion, Feltman underscored the priority of “establishing a framework that could lead to a comprehensive peace” and expressed his hopes that the international community, possibly through a reinvigorated Quartet, “can help the parties avoid a downward slide and support a return to negotiations.
“However, international efforts cannot succeed in isolation. A genuine and lasting peace can only be reached by the commitment of the parties to overcome their mistrust and make the difficult compromises necessary to achieve a resolution to this conflict.”
Briefing the UN Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman discussed what he described as ‘another tumultuous and deadly month in the Middle East’, taking the opportunity to warn about “steadily increasing tensions and swelling violence.”
“We see the circumstances in Gaza as becoming increasingly worrisome as we approach the six-month mark since the end of last summer’s conflict. The combination of the failure to rectify the persistent governance and security issues and the slow pace of reconstruction has created an increasingly toxic environment.”
Expressing his concerns about the adverse impacts on the two-state solution, Feltman said, according to WAFA: “The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians continues to threaten further escalation. As we warned this Council last month, if this occurs it may have highly damaging, and potentially irreversible, consequences for both parties and for the two-state solution.”
Pointing to a total of $200 million in Palestinian tax revenues withheld by the Israeli Government, Feltman said that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is facing “acute fiscal challenges that must be urgently addressed,” and described PA’s approach to lend from private banks to pay portion of its civil servants’ salaries as “neither sufficient nor sustainable.”
“Paralyzing the Palestinian Authority from conducting essential Government business – including functions related to health services and law and order – is in no one’s interest. Israel’s action is a violation of its obligations under the Paris Protocol of the Oslo Accords and we, again, call for an immediate reversal of this decision.”
See also: Abbas Vows "Harsh Steps" over Israeli Withholding of PA Tax Revenues
Conveying the Secretary-General’s call for both sides to refrain from unilateral steps that could further aggravate the situation, Feltman highlighted the Quartet's call for Gaza reconstruction to be accelerated and stressed the need for ‘concrete actions’ and ‘clear unity of purpose’ from the international community so that the Quartet can play an effective role.
Feltman expressed his concerns about the fragile security situation, the volatile political dynamics and the persistently slow pace of reconstruction:
“The often-repeated political challenges in Gaza endure and represent clear dangers for stability. They include the moribund effort to consolidate ceasefire arrangements and the absence of genuine intra-Palestinian reconciliation, including the outstanding issues of unpaid salaries to Gaza public sector employees and civil service reform.”
The UN political chief claims that the temporary Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism was “functioning and delivering concrete results,” pointing to 50 construction projects that were under consideration and to the fact that over 75,000 Palestinians have been cleared to receive construction material for shelter repairs, over 47,000 have already procured construction material to date.
Feltman stated that a key factor is that international donors to fulfill their pledges without further delay, warning that failing to do so threatens another escalation in the Strip.
“While the primary obligation evidently lies with the parties, a key component of reversing these negative trends is implementation of the financial commitments made by donors at the Cairo conference. Failure to deliver the necessary support is putting an almost unbearable strain on an already highly fractious environment.”
He noted in this respect that UNRWA urgently needs $100 million for its cash assistance programme and that another $705 million are needed for addressing the humanitarian needs of 1.6 million Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
He reiterated the Secretary-General’s call for Egyptian authorities to re-open the Rafah crossing and expressed his concerns about the continued clashes in the occupied West Bank during the reporting period.
Referring to the demolition of Palestinian houses by Israel, Feltman urged Israel to cease such demolitions and displacements of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and Area C and to facilitate international assistance to vulnerable communities, stressing that Area C is fundamental to the contiguity of the West Bank and the viability of Palestine and its economy.
He also expressed his disappointment about the latest tenders to construct settler’s units in West Bank settlements, reiterating that “settlement activity is illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace,” and calling for it to be halted and reversed.
In conclusion, Feltman underscored the priority of “establishing a framework that could lead to a comprehensive peace” and expressed his hopes that the international community, possibly through a reinvigorated Quartet, “can help the parties avoid a downward slide and support a return to negotiations.
“However, international efforts cannot succeed in isolation. A genuine and lasting peace can only be reached by the commitment of the parties to overcome their mistrust and make the difficult compromises necessary to achieve a resolution to this conflict.”
19 feb 2015
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With cement, concrete, and iron bars strictly limited in Strip, Palestinians and aid groups turn to alternative materials to construct temporary shelters.
Aid agencies struggling to shelter thousands of Gazans made homeless by war have resorted to building makeshift temporary homes out of metal and wood to evade Israeli restrictions on imports into the coastal territory. Around 150,000 families are still homeless after last year's war between Israel and Hamas, in which IDF bombardment destroyed thousands of apartment buildings and homes. Israel tightly limits the flow of concrete, cement, iron bars and other materials into Gaza, as "dual use" items that could have a military purpose if they were seized by Hamas to rebuild tunnels used to launch attacks. That means few homes have been rebuilt despite international pledges of |
billions for reconstruction – though only a small portion of the pledged funds has actually been donated. Rather than wait to rebuild permanent homes, some relief agencies have decided to build temporary structures with materials they can get. "We designed the transitional shelters without any dual use items so that within the existing restrictions, we could get as many vulnerable families as possible out of the elements," said Matt McGarry, Catholic Relief Services local representative.
His agency has built 70 single storey wooden temporary homes amid the rubble and smashed concrete of Khan Younis, a town in southern Gaza heavily damaged in the July-August war, and has funding for 100 more.
Forty families have moved in so far. While the homes provide a roof over the head amid heavy rain and freezing temperatures, large numbers of people are cramped into a small space that residents say feels like no replacement for the permanent houses that still lie in rubble nearby.
"It is only temporary," said Maryam Baraka, 58, sitting on a plastic chair outside the shelter which now houses 13 members of her family. The rubble of their two-story home nearby has not been cleared away since it was destroyed by IDF bombardment. For now, rebuilding it is still a dream. "There is no alternative to a brick house," she said. Israel's restrictions make it a slow and costly process to get hold of the building materials. A bag of cement in Gaza now costs around 100 shekels ($25), four times its usual price. Those Gazans who can afford to rebuild themselves are cobbling together designs that do not rely on standard building materials.
"The goal was to move quickly into a house to shelter my brother's six children and two wives," said Motasem Dalloul, whose brother has spent around $20,000 building a home out of plaster, metal, wood and the bit of cement he could afford. "It's built of materials that are easy to find in the Gaza market," he explained, adding that they had borrowed from friends and relatives to pay for the house, near the ruins of the family's old home in Gaza City.
Many homeless Gazans are still living in tents more than six months after last year's war. The United Nations is sheltering more than 10,000 in 15 schools, which residents say are growing more dangerous as months go by with no end to overcrowding. In one such shelter, a nine-month-old baby was burned to death on Monday in an electrical fire.
Imad al-Khaldi, a local construction expert, has come up with a design for a house using widely available materials and has tried to persuade international agencies to adopt it, so far without success. He has built four homes using sandstone bricks, glued together with plaster. He stood proudly outside one of the buildings, which has already housed a family of 11 for five years. A sign outside reads "temporary residence".
His agency has built 70 single storey wooden temporary homes amid the rubble and smashed concrete of Khan Younis, a town in southern Gaza heavily damaged in the July-August war, and has funding for 100 more.
Forty families have moved in so far. While the homes provide a roof over the head amid heavy rain and freezing temperatures, large numbers of people are cramped into a small space that residents say feels like no replacement for the permanent houses that still lie in rubble nearby.
"It is only temporary," said Maryam Baraka, 58, sitting on a plastic chair outside the shelter which now houses 13 members of her family. The rubble of their two-story home nearby has not been cleared away since it was destroyed by IDF bombardment. For now, rebuilding it is still a dream. "There is no alternative to a brick house," she said. Israel's restrictions make it a slow and costly process to get hold of the building materials. A bag of cement in Gaza now costs around 100 shekels ($25), four times its usual price. Those Gazans who can afford to rebuild themselves are cobbling together designs that do not rely on standard building materials.
"The goal was to move quickly into a house to shelter my brother's six children and two wives," said Motasem Dalloul, whose brother has spent around $20,000 building a home out of plaster, metal, wood and the bit of cement he could afford. "It's built of materials that are easy to find in the Gaza market," he explained, adding that they had borrowed from friends and relatives to pay for the house, near the ruins of the family's old home in Gaza City.
Many homeless Gazans are still living in tents more than six months after last year's war. The United Nations is sheltering more than 10,000 in 15 schools, which residents say are growing more dangerous as months go by with no end to overcrowding. In one such shelter, a nine-month-old baby was burned to death on Monday in an electrical fire.
Imad al-Khaldi, a local construction expert, has come up with a design for a house using widely available materials and has tried to persuade international agencies to adopt it, so far without success. He has built four homes using sandstone bricks, glued together with plaster. He stood proudly outside one of the buildings, which has already housed a family of 11 for five years. A sign outside reads "temporary residence".
The Islamic Jihad leader Khader Habib described the current situation in the besieged Gaza Strip as worrying and harsh at both local and political levels.
Habib confirmed in press statements on Thursday that “Gaza is going through a real crisis in regards with the living, economic and political conditions in addition to the failure to achieve the Palestinian reconciliation agreement which hinders other issues inside the enclave.
Referring to the series of bombings in Gaza, the Islamic Jihad leader said, “The security condition in Gaza is worrying. The people in Gaza have been severely suffering due to the continuing siege on the Strip and the suspension of reconstruction”.
He added, “Some parties are pushing toward confrontation with the Israeli occupation. The situation in the besieged Strip is moving toward the option of harsh confrontation which Gaza would be forced to take”.
Suggesting a solution, the Islamic Jihad leader called for implementing the Palestinian reconciliation. He also called on the Palestinian unity government to bear its responsibilities in Gaza.
Habib confirmed in press statements on Thursday that “Gaza is going through a real crisis in regards with the living, economic and political conditions in addition to the failure to achieve the Palestinian reconciliation agreement which hinders other issues inside the enclave.
Referring to the series of bombings in Gaza, the Islamic Jihad leader said, “The security condition in Gaza is worrying. The people in Gaza have been severely suffering due to the continuing siege on the Strip and the suspension of reconstruction”.
He added, “Some parties are pushing toward confrontation with the Israeli occupation. The situation in the besieged Strip is moving toward the option of harsh confrontation which Gaza would be forced to take”.
Suggesting a solution, the Islamic Jihad leader called for implementing the Palestinian reconciliation. He also called on the Palestinian unity government to bear its responsibilities in Gaza.
Truce violations List of names Pictures of martyrs
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July: 31 - 30 - 29 - 28 - 27 - 26 - 25 - 24 - 23 - 22 - 21 - 20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8