the un warns and who will listen ...

UN Bodies Warn Gaza Strip Could Become Another Kosovo

GAZA, April 4, 2006 (IPC + Agencies) - - Several United Nations officials warned that the Gaza Strip could become on the verge of disaster unless drastic changes are made in the current economic conditions.

In an interview with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Karin Abu Zaid, the Commissioner General for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), warned of a severe shortage in basic food supplies in Gaza, and of an increase in the number of people there suffering from hunger.

A report by UNRWA has warned of a lack of basic food supplies due to the frequent closures of the Karni crossing, which are preventing goods from reaching Gaza from Egypt. The report also said there has been a significant increase in the number of hungry people since financial aid has been halted.

Israeli security sources commented on this by claiming that Israel is aware of the difficult conditions in Gaza Strip, and that it will try to find a solution for this crisis without backing down on its decision not to establish any contacts with the new Palestinian government formed by Hamas movement.

The sources added that among the discussed solution transferring funds through the Palestinian President's Office directly to the different provinces.

Meanwhile, David Shearer, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), asserted that if there is no significant change in the situation, Gaza will face a humanitarian crisis as bad as the one in the former Yugoslavian province of Kosovo.

On the other hand, the Minister of Agriculture Mohammed Al Agha declared that exporting Palestinian agricultural products through Rafah border crossing will begin within a few days to Egypt.

Al Agha added, during the position handover ceremony from his predecessor, that he is optimistic in opening Al Karama crossing with Jordan in order to act as a parallel gateway with Rafah crossing to export to the world, calling on Palestinian farmers and workers in the agricultural sector to develop this vital sector and expand investment in it.

Moreover, Haaretz further reported that some Arab banks have been urging the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to close its accounts there, in fear of Western sanctions.

Haaretz added that some Arab-owned banks have been pressuring the PNA to close some accounts, in fear of being sanctioned by the United States and Europe for aiding "terrorist organizations", after Hamas movement - which is on both the American and European list of terrorist organizations - formed the government.

A new American demand that the PNA return a $50 million loan is also a cause for concern both in the PNA and the Arab banks.

According to the newspaper, during Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz's weekly meeting with the heads of the Israeli security establishment last Thursday, intelligence experts said Hamas' financial situation was not as bad as the movement's leaders thought before they took office, since the outgoing government managed to pay the previous month's salaries to tens of thousands of employees and members of the security forces.

Hamas is said to believe that a combination of money that President Mahmoud Abbas will raise abroad for humanitarian needs, contributions from Iran and some budget cuts will reduce the extent of the economic problems, at least in the coming months.

In the meantime, the Jordanian government sent a consignment of 400 tons of food supplies to Gaza Strip and the West Bank - the second of its kind in 15 days.

The Jordanian official news agency (Petra) reported that a consignment of food supplies arrived on Monday to the Palestinian territories, on instructions from King Abdullah II of Jordan, with an estimated cost of $220,000.

Rajab Al Zebeida, director of the Hashemite Benevolent Commission, said that this consignment is part of the support Jordan has been offering to the Palestinian people, pointing out that more consignments are being organized and will arrive soon.

The Commission has been responsible for organizing food consignments and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people for the past three years, whether originating from Jordan or from other countries.