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Matter of life and death in Gaza

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Published Date: 30 December 2007
REGARDING the worsening situation in Gaza (International, December 16), Israel has kept Gaza's borders sealed since June, leaving more than 1.5 million people in a 140 square mile 'prison'. The sewage system has collapsed, there's no power to pump sewage out and no chemicals to clean it. Garbage is piling up in the streets and there is no fuel for the trucks to come to haul it away.
Israel is only allowing basic food supplies into Gaza: sugar, rice, flour, and under 40% of all oil supplies. There isn't stone, not even cement, to make headstones for graves. Parents can't buy nappies and you can't find jackets, wool clothes, underwear, or even socks for winter in the shops.

Medical supplies in hospitals are also exhausted. There's no oxygen; drugs aren't available. In the past few months, about 800 people have applied for emergency hospital treatment in Israel – only 114 were permitted. Ten have died for no other reason other than an accident of birth.

Israel is creating hatred in Gaza and needs to be saved from itself, while the Arab countries, Hamas, Fatah and the UN continue to blame each other.

Why on earth is our British Government not doing more?

Stuart Rivans, Hamilton



The full article contains 212 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 29 December 2007 8:24 PM
  • Source: Scotland On Sunday
  • Location: Scotland
 
1

JoyWo,

Cheadle UK 30/12/2007 01:39:36
Has it ever occurred to Stuart Rivans that the Palestinians are the architects of their own misfortune
By disregarding the simple condition imposed by the international community that they abandon terror and accept the reality of israel and remove the key aim of their charter which is to destroy Israel, they deprive themselves of access to all the assistance that could be available to them
That, coupled with the corruption and misappropriation of international funding that has not reached its intended destination, is to blame for much of the Palestinian suffering.
Another important factor in Gaza is the infighting between the Palestinian factions which destroy any possibility of normality.
As for why the British Government is not doing more, a far better question would be why aren't the oil rich Arab countries doing more to help their Palestinian brethren. Far from doing that they have a history of throwing out their Palestinian populations.
The British government is already giving vast sums to the Palestinians, but we have no guarantee it is being used to help the people
Maybe one reason for closed borders is today's news that a recent "humanitarian convoy" labelled EU aid actually contained material that could be used for bomb making disguised as sugar. No wonder the Israelis need to keep a close check on what gets through.
By the way why, Mr Rivans, do you not direct some of your ire towards the Egyptians who have closed their entry point with Gaza, opening it recently however to help smuggle arms into Gaza

 

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