Monday, January 19, 2015

Warped Priorities. Gaza to expand Waterways

Its yet another public relations scheme out of Gaza, and another blatant attempt to facilitate the transfer of Iranian weapons via the sea.

Our international aid money at work.

From the Palestine Information Center:

The governmental Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza declared Monday the beginning of  the rehabilitation of a waterway that would link the Strip with the outside world as a prelude for  the establishment of an international port.

Head of the committee Aladdin al-Batta confirmed in a press conference that he has made contacts with the Free World and human rights organization to support the idea.

He called on the unity government to start coordinating in this matter after receiving full approval from different areas in the world.

Al-Batta pointed out that a large boat would sail soon from Gaza carrying a number of patients who are in urgent need of treatment abroad.

Israel continues to close Gaza’s five border crossings, while Rafah crossing, with Egypt, has been opened for only 100 days during 2014, he said.

Many international and regional committees to break the siege on Gaza showed support for the establishment of a waterway in Gaza as a clear legitimate right, al-Batta stressed.

He added that both Oslo accords in 1993 and Sharm el-Sheikh agreement endorse the Palestinian right to establish a waterway, calling on the Free World and the European Union to support the waterway idea and to lift the siege on Gaza.


Incidentally, Israel's crossings have been open consistently.  Even as rockets rained down on Israeli civilians , humanitarian aid continued to flow into Gaza, and those in need of medical treatment were granted access to Israel.  In 2013, 13,734  access permits were granted to people in Gaza for healthcare in Israel. Despite the claims that Israel turns away ambulances carrying people in desperate need of medical services, in 2013, out of the 1,189 ambulances which requested permits,all but one received them.

The proposed  Gaza seaport is yet another example of misappropriation of international funds that had been earmarked for essential humanitarian projects.

No comments: