Al-Khudari: Israeli closure of Gaza border crossings causing renewed fuel shortage

Date: 27 / 06 / 2008  Time:  01:54
Gaza – Ma'an –

Jamal Al-Khudari, Palestinian Legislative Council member and head of the Popular Committee Against the Siege, on Thursday urged Egypt and the international community to press Israel to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip and open the border crossings as required in the truce agreement.

Al-Khudari also urged the Palestinian factions and resistance groups to coordinate among themselves and refrain from any violent actions in response to Israel's continued closure of Gaza and military operations in the West Bank.

In a press statement, Al-Khudari noted that the persistence of occasional minor violations shortly after a truce enters into the effect is normal, since ensuring implementation by all sides can take time. He said that "the repeated Israeli closure of the crossings is unjustified, and considering the launch of one or two homemade rockets as major violations is illogical."

Al-Khudari indicated that the amount of fuel Israel has allowed into Gaza is still insufficient to meet basic needs, and warned that the Gaza power plant will have to shut down within two days if the required amount of fuel is not pumped into the Gaza Strip.

He also warned that the continued closure of the border crossings threatens the health of hundreds of patients, and urged the Egyptian authorities to reopen the Rafah border crossing immediately, noting that there are more than 1,500 patients who need to leave Gaza for medical treatment abroad, including 200 in critical condition.

He demanded that all sides involved in the truce agreement work to speed up lifting the siege on Gaza and abide by all the ceasefire conditions. He called for a significant increase in the quantity of goods allowed into Gaza by the beginning of the coming week, so that both basic necessities and a greater variety of goods can enter the Strip.

"Israel's delay in implementation and its continued closure of the crossings have exacerbated the crisis in the Gaza Strip and created a state of frustration among the patients, residents and businessmen who were excited by the truce agreement and are eagerly awaiting the resumption of work in Gaza's factories and workplaces," said Al-Khudari. He noted that Israel's heightened siege on Gaza, which has lasted for over a year, is a form of collective punishment that violates international law, and that as an occupying power Israel is obliged to suspend the siege and allow goods into the Strip without regard to the political situation.

The Popular Committee Against the Siege has sought to focus international attention on the blockade of Gaza and its humanitarian consequences by holding conferences, issuing statements and press releases, and lobbying governments, officials and human rights organizations.

"During our latest European tour, we noticed a big shift in public opinion towards the Palestinian viewpoint concerning the need for international pressure on Israel to lift the siege," Al-Khudari noted. He stressed the important role of the Popular Committee in mobilising international pressure for lifting blockade, and clarified that the aim of the truce is a complete end to the Israeli-imposed siege.