This brutal siege of Gaza can only breed violence
Palestinian suffering has reached new depths. Peace cannot be built by reducing 1.5m people to a state of abject destitution
Karen Koning AbuZayd, the commissioner general for Unrwa, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East based in Gaza, pens this in The Guardian:-
Gaza is on the threshold of becoming the first territory to be intentionally reduced to a state of abject destitution, with the knowledge, acquiescence and - some would say - encouragement of the international community. An international community that professes to uphold the inherent dignity of every human being must not allow this to happen...A new hallmark of Palestinian suffering had been reached.
There have been three turns of the screw on the people of Gaza..Each turn of the screw inflicts deeper indignity on ordinary Palestinians, breeding more resentment towards the outside world.
Gaza's border closures are without precedent. Palestinians are effectively incarcerated...It is impossible to sustain our operations [does she mean the smuggling in of arms and explosives?] when the occupying power adopts an "on, off", "here today, gone tomorrow" policy towards Gaza's borders. To take one example, this week we were on the verge of suspending our food distribution programme. The reason was seemingly mundane: plastic bags. Israel blocked entry into Gaza of the plastic bags in which we package our food rations.
...No one knows how long the reprieve will last as the resumption of Qassam rocket fire, which we ourselves strongly condemn [when was that?], will lead to further closures.
The people of Gaza have been spared from reaching new depths of anguish - but only for the moment.
There has never been a more urgent need for the international community to act to restore normality in Gaza. Hungry, unhealthy, angry communities do not make good partners for peace.
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