Israel Matzav

Gaza needs to be freed from Hamas

Contrary to what the media would have you believe, the problem in Gaza isn't Israeli restrictions on supplies. It's Hamas' restrictions on supplies and on freedom. When supplies reach Gaza they only go to Hamas affiliates. And last week, at the height of the uproar over the flotilla of fools, Hamas took the opportunity to shut down many of the NGO's that were operating under UN auspices.

After conducting a thorough search of the offices of the organizations, the Hamas security agents confiscated files, documents, computers, fax machines and other equipment.

The agents also informed the managers and workers of the organizations of the Hamas government’s decision to close them down indefinitely.

The Gaza-based Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights expressed outrage over the raids and called on the Hamas government to open an investigation.

“Al-Mezan condemns these assaults against NGOs and views them with much concern,” the center said. “Al-Mezan calls on the Gaza government to initiate an investigation into these acts, ensure full respect of the law, and protect the right of NGOs to work freely.”

According to affidavits given to Al-Mezan by workers at the NGOs, on Monday morning Hamas security agents stormed the NGOs offices in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah.

The NGOs raid on Monday were: Sharik Youth Institution, Bonat Al-Mustaqbal (Future Builders) Society, the South Society for Women’s Health, and the Women and Children Society.

The security agents searched the offices and made a list of the equipment and other belongings.

Later in the day, Hamas policemen returned to the offices of the same NGOs and called the directors by telephone. They confiscated most of the equipment and other items, including computers, faxes, cameras, documents and reports, in addition to the keys to their doors. The security agents informed the directors that their organizations were closed. They did not provide any reasons behind this decision.

...

The UN’s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Robert Serry, expressed deep concern over the raids and closure of the NGO offices.

“This targeting of NGOs, including UN partner organizations, is unacceptable, violating accepted norms of a free society and harming the Palestinian people,” he said. “The de facto [Hamas] authorities must cease such repressive steps and allow the re-opening of these civil society institutions without delay.”

Amazing they didn't condemn Israel, isn't it?

Ironically, many of these NGO's celebrated the propaganda victory of the flotilla of fools two days earlier.

Meanwhile, any supplies that make it into Gaza go to Hamas members and not to anyone else.

"People who are not in with Hamas don't see any of the relief goods or the gifts of money," Khadar says. On the sand dune where his house once perched, there is now an emergency shelter. The shelter is made of concrete blocks that Khadar dug from the rubble, and the roof is the canvas of a tent that provided the family with shelter for the first summer after the war. "Hamas supporters get prefabricated housing, furnishings and paid work. We get nothing," Khadar complains.

...

The reason his family receives nothing: Like many of his neighbors, Khadar is a die-hard supporter of the Fatah party, the sworn political enemy of the more radical Islamists in Hamas. That's why Khadar has little hope of seeing any of the 10,000 tons of aid that the activist flotilla heading for the Gaza Strip tried to bring to Gaza's harbor at the start of this week.

"We knew Hamas would take the goods for themselves and distribute them at their own discretion. For us, and for many of our friends, it doesn't make any difference whether the world is trying to help us. Our situation will only improve if the blockade is lifted," Khadar explains.

I'm not sure why Khadar thinks things will improve for him if the 'blockade' is lifted. Why will Hamas let him have any supplies then? Why will they let him leave the Strip (except possibly on a one-way ticket)?

Aid has become a political football, which is why a sack of cement, smuggled into Gaza through tunnels from Egypt, still costs $50 (around €40). Before the blockade it would have cost $7 (around €6). "I invested my total savings -- $5,000 -- in cement for our emergency shelter," Khadar notes. And he appeals to aid organizations to do everything they can to try and deliver their goods directly to the citizens of Gaza. Hamas should not be allowed to get hold of it. Khadar becomes particularly enraged when he talks about his neighbors behind the dune. The Hamas prime minister of Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, recently gave them a brand new house, complete and ready for them to move in.

Read the whole thing.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:27 AM