Israel Matzav

UNRWA mandate up for renewal

Gunness makes the claim that growth took place in the public sector -- that is, within the government run by Hamas -- and not at all in a declining private sector.

But let's take a look at a few salient facts that address the situation in Gaza.

According to a report issued last month by the International Monetary Fund, the gross domestic product in Gaza increased by 15% in the last year.

A June 13 article by Media Line states that "Gazans say that goods smuggled in from Egypt [via the tunnels] are now an option rather than a necessity ... Gazans say they turn to Israeli goods because there is a wider variety and better quality."

On occasion, UNRWA has made the argument that consumer goods may be available, but people cannot afford to buy them. This ultimately defies logic, because mer­chants would not continue to bring in consumer goods via the crossings from Israel if said merchants were not selling said goods. According to an IDF release, in the past two days alone, 491 truckloads of goods and fuel (totaling more than 13,000 tons) passed into Gaza. Some of those goods were commercial.

But for confirmation of the fact that conditions are better in Gaza, we don't need to go further than a statement by John Ging, made in December, shortly before he left his position as coordinator of UNRWA operations in Gaza.

[W]e've now turned the corner[.] ... [S]ince the new Israeli government decision on adjusting the blockade [that is, allowing more goods in via the land crossings], every day is better than yesterday.

This is not the picture Gunness has painted, and it's not his only misrepresentation.

Labels: Chris Gunness, Gaza plenty, UNRWA

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:39 AM