Israel Matzav

Gadhafi: More than just money

Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi talks about what the 'Palestinians' got in return for the Libyan ship Amalthea landing in El Arish and not in Gaza.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] Were you satisfied with the agreement that was reached with regards to the final destination of the aid ship?

[Gaddafi] Yes, definitely. What happened was far beyond our expectations; the UNRWA agency [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians in the Near East] informed me that they hadn't been able to spend even a single dollar on reconstruction, or bring in a single metal screw or bag of cement into Gaza. They also informed me that they were completely unable to implement any [reconstruction] projects as a result of the Israel embargo. Therefore from a practical standpoint the issue of reconstruction was dead until now.

However thanks to the agreement that we reached, you can say that the reconstruction process has truly begun, and the Israelis – in agreement with our brothers in Egypt, of course – have agreed to Libya sending a total of $50 million to Gaza through UNRWA without any interference or problems, in support of the Palestinians and the reconstruction process, including building materials and pre-fabricated houses.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you mean an Egyptian – Israeli agreement has been secured?

[Gaddafi] Yes, as the saying goes "do you want the grapes or to kill the vineyard guard?" We want the grapes, and now we have them, so there is no need to create problems. Our goal was not to confront the Israeli navy, but Gaza reconstruction and helping our Palestinian brothers, especially as you know that there are 5,000 destroyed houses in Gaza and thousands of Palestinians currently living in the open. The problem is that another winter will pass whilst they remain in this situation. However through this initiative, God willing, they will be living in these houses next winter, as the agreement allows for this, and our top priority is for building material and pre-fabricated houses.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you consider this deal a success?

[Gaddafi] Yes, we consider this to be a great achievement when compared with a worn-out ship [aid ship Amalthea] whose market price today would not exceed $150,000, and which was crewed by 10…young activists. This is a worn-out ship, and this might be its last voyage, and we thank and praise God over what we have been able to achieve. This is a lesson for the Arabs, if they knew how to come to agreements and work well, it would have been possible for us to achieve more. I am very happy and I believe that I have achieved a great victory for the Palestinians.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] Can you tell us more about the Egyptian – Israeli negotiations?

[Gaddafi] You know that Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak contacted Egyptian Intelligence Chief Lieutenant General Omar Suleiman – this is no secret. The Egyptians reached an agreement with the Israelis who informed us via an official written response that they agreed to begin the transfer of Libya's $50 million – [a figure] determined during the Arab Summit – for the reconstruction of Gaza. An Egyptian-Israeli coordination exists in this respect and Egypt is the guarantor to this agreement.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is your opinion on the role played by Egypt?

[Gaddafi] Without a doubt this was an important and effective role because without Egypt we would not have been able to do anything. Egypt is very important, and the truth is that the position of our brothers in Egypt was an unforgettable one, for which we are grateful.

...

[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you consider this to be a personal victory for yourself?

[Gaddafi] Perhaps…I played my part amidst these conditions. I see this as a lesson for the Arabs, it was also revealing about the true position of the Palestinian officials…for they let us down. There are conflicts between them taking place at the expense of ordinary Palestinians; everybody wants to see a show or spectacle or confrontation, rather than help…they all want to kill the vineyard guard at the expense of getting the grapes.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] You seen to be disappointed by this?

[Gaddafi] That's right, unfortunately all of our Palestinian brothers failed to approach this problem correctly. We would love to help them, but we were surprised to see that each party was trying to politically exploit the situation in the context of the inter-Palestinian conflict. We are not a party of this conflict. In truth, I am very displeased about this issue.

...

[Asharq Al-Awsat] Some people say that the Gaza blockade could have ended long ago if there was a Palestinian – Israeli understanding. What do you think of this?

[Gaddafi] We believe that without work such as that which we are undertaking, the Gaza blockade would continue forever because all Palestinian factions are content with the status quo and the blockade will not be lifted when all Palestinian parties are seeking to exploit the suffering of their people to serve their own political agendas. The Israeli blockade of Gaza has practically ended today; building materials and funds will enter, and work will begin. There is no longer a ban, and the reconstruction process that the Arabs promised to initiate has now become real.

I wonder where the metal screws and bags of cement for the mall and the swimming pool and the hotels came from. I'll bet Gadhafi doesn't know either.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:03 PM