Bargouthi warns of humanitarian disaster in Gaza caused by embargo, committee headed by Al-Khudari to combat it

Bargouthi warns of humanitarian disaster in Gaza caused by embargo

Saturday October 27, 2007 16:28 by Manar Jibrin - IMEMC News& agencies manarjibrin at gmail dot com

Dr Mustafa Al Bargouthi, a member of the Palestinian Legislative ACouncil and the Secretary General of the National Palestinian Intiative, al-Mubadara, called on the Palestinian people to speak with a unified voice against the unjust embargo being imposed on the Gaza Strip by the Israeli occupiers.

In a statement released on Saturday, Bargouthi warned of the health risks arising from the lack of medicine in the Strip, adding that these health risks are exacerbated by the fact that Israel won't allow extremely ill patients into Israel or abroad for treatment.

He stated, "There are thousands of sick people who are severely impacted by the lack of medicine in the Gaza Strip. A humanitarian disaster will occur in Gaza if the operating rooms in the hospitals were to be closed because of a lack of anesthesia."

Last week, operating rooms throughout Gaza were closed for over a day when they ran out of nitrous oxide. Only after a full day did Israel allow more nitrous oxide canisters to be allowed in through the Israeli-controlled border.

Bargouthi added that Israel had turned the Gaza Strip into a big prison in which its residents are tortured and oppressed. He indicated that what is happening in the Gaza Strip shows the untruthfulness of the Israeli claim that they withdrew from Gaza in 2005, as the Israeli military has obviously maintained a full occupation of the Gaza Strip since that time.

Translated by Manar Jibrin, edited by Saed Bannoura

Committee formed to combat embargo on Gaza

Saturday October 27, 2007 15:06 by PNN - IMEMC News manarjibrin at gmail dot com

The formation of a popular committee, headed by independent PLC member from Gaza City Jamal Al-Khudari, was announced on Saturday. Its aim is to work against the embargo imposed on the Gaza Strip, which is having very serious effects on economic and public service sectors and is causing damage to all sections of the population.

Al-Khudari, said it will be a popular committee whose first aim is to defend the interests of those suffering the most. It will avoid political affiliations. The main motive behind the move is the difficult situation residents are facing because of the embargo and the lack of any sign that it will be lifted. There seems to be little recognition from the international community that it is fully aware of the seriousness of the situation in the Strip.

Al-Khudari urged all sectors of the Palestinian community to work with the committee to form a unified Palestinian front against the unfair embargo that weakens all Palestinians.

Ramai Abdu, spokesperson of the committee, said there is a need to bring together a large number of organizations, together with influential Arab and Islamic figures as well as Palestinians living inside Israel, to combat the embargo. The group also needs to document the effects and consequences of the embargo on all sectors and on all levels. He confirmed that the committee will work together with other organisations which have similar aims.

Translated by Manar Jibrin

Palestinians in Gaza form anti-sanctions committee, say economic siege must end

PIC, [ 28/10/2007 - 12:01 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

A new anti-sanctions committee headed by the independent Palestinian lawmaker Jamal Al-Khudari was established in Gaza city Saturday with the aim to break the unjust economic siege imposed on the Palestinian people for 20 months now.

The US-Israeli led economic sanctions had inflicted tragic repercussions on the Palestinian people, especially children, women, and elderly people among other sectors, amidst unexplainable Arab, Muslim, and international indifference.

According to Khudari, the committee will be of no political color and that it will work for the good of the Palestinian people regardless of their political affiliations.

"The prime-mover that spurred us to form such committee was the serious level of suffering the great majority of the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip are having to endure as a result of the repressive sanctions amidst international community unawareness of the volume of the tragedy that was inflicted on the Palestinian people due to the blockade", affirmed Al-Khudari.

In this regard, Khudari called on all influential Palestinian foundations and sectors to positively react with the new committee in order to create a broad and united Palestinian front capable to confront the unjust siege that aims at weakening and discouraging the Palestinian people in their drive for freedom.

For his part, Rami Abdo, the spokesman of the committee asserted that his group will spare no moment in contacting concerned Arab, Muslim, and international organizations and personalities with the aim to rally as many people as possible and to create a popular momentum that could help in rescinding the embargo.

He also explained that the committee will publish daily and periodical reports on the status of the crossings of the Gaza Strip, and the detrimental results of economic blockade, in addition to supporting all organizations working for the lifting of the siege.

The USA and the Israeli occupation government incited their local, regional, and international allies to impose economic siege on the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip and the West Bank few days after they elected Hamas Movement to rule them in transparent, honest, and unprecedented clean elections in the region in January 2006.

Many Palestinian children and sick people had died due to the lack of medicine and food supplies as a result of those unjust sanctions.

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