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MAP Attends International Development Sub-Committee

30.4.08

 

MAP attended a session at Parliament to hear the latest from the head of UNRWA in Gaza John Ging.

 

Mr.Ging started by describing the situation in Gaza today as both “shocking and shameful”. The twin reasons for this he explained were access issues and the pervasive fear of violence.


Since this January 344 Palestinians have been killed and 756 wounded (including 60 children killed and 175 wounded). Rockets fired from Gaza into Israel have killed 3 Israeli civilians and wounded 20.

 

Mr.Ging went on to describe the dire fuel status in the strip, with supplies of fuel down 80% between September 2007 and March this year. The impact of shortages has forced the United Nations to suspend its food supplies (on which 80% of 1.5 million living on the strip are dependent) for the first time ever. Food supplies are already suffering due to UN budgetary constraints with the food ration only meeting 60% of people’s daily need.

The lack of fuel is turning Gaza into territory of walkers, Mr.Ging saying that “if you can’t walk, you can’t get there”.   Some people are converting their vehicles to run with cooking gas, with all the obvious associated dangers.

Recent fresh supplies of fuel are not enough to rebuild the UN’s reserve supply, which can in theory last for 2-months. This has led to a ‘hand to mouth’ state of affairs.

Mr.Ging commented on the situation of medical supplies describing how life-saving drugs ARE currently present but in desperately short supply. Drugs needed to treat chronic illnesses such as cancer or renal failure are lacking in sufficient amounts to guarantee regular prescriptions.

UNRWA currently needs $130 million for its general fund and an additional $78 million for it’s emergency fund.

MAP Attends Parliamentary Meeting with Michael Williams - UK Special Representative for the Middle East

23.4.08

Mr. Williams gave a short talk to an assembled gathering of parliamentarians and NGO representatives. He described the ‘encouraging’ signs seen within continued dialogue between the PA and Israeli leaders. In particular Mr. Williams praised the fairly secretive activity going on within various working groups that are looking to address key issues.

Mr. Williams reminded those present that the UK was one of the largest donors to the Palestinians, having pledged $500 for the next three years. The meeting of the ‘Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee’ (AHLC) next Friday is what he describes as the “most important meeting since Annapolis ”. The AHLC meeting with be followed up by the Quartet meeting in London , and then a series of meetings with Arab Foreign Ministers. In addition Douglas Alexander from DFID will be working on a ‘showcase for investment’ meeting to prepare the ground for a Bethlehem investment conference to take place in Bethlehem between May 21-23.

 

Gaza Under Siege: Meeting at Westminster

 

 

  18.2.08  

The PSC organised a well attended meeting at Portcullis House yesterday to discuss the continually deteriorating situation in Gaza .  

Opening the two-hour series of talks, Palestinian Ambassador Manuel Hassassian described the loss of hope following the aftermath to Annapolis and the “drip, drip, drip of death from Gaza ”. The Ambassador challenged the Israeli government agenda accusing them of acting totally against the spirit of Annapolis .  

 

In particular respect to Gaza, Hassassian reminded the audience that “Israel never left Gaza”, he then went on to lambast the international community for not showing “political teeth” and in effect “supporting the occupation” by paying the costs of it that Israel should in effect bear.   

Richard Burton MP, chair of the all-party group on Palestine , repeated the question often asked by the UN’s John Ging; “are Gazan civilians more able to stop the rockets than the IDF?”. He quoted a Palestinian he had recently met who told him that the Palestinians were “not dying, not living, but somewhere in between”.

Speaking at the event were:   Prof Manuel Hassassian, Palestinian General Delegate to the UK, Khaled Al-Mudallal, Palestinian Student and Peace Activist from Gaza, Angela Godfrey-Goldstein, ICAHD Advocacy Officer, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Phyllis Starkey MP, Richard Burden MP, Linda Newman, President UCU, Hugh Lanning, Deputy General Secretary PCS, Dr Daud Abdullah MCB, Sarah Colborne, Chair PSC

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