One million signatures to be sent to UN to urge ending Israeli siege of Gaza

[ 07/09/2008 - 04:02 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Dr. Eyad Al-Sarraj, the founder of the Gaza community mental health program, announced Saturday that the international Palestinian campaign to break the siege intends to collect one million signatures from Gaza citizens and submit them in a document to the UN general assembly in order to urge it to take immediate decision to end the unjust siege on the Gaza Strip.

According to Sarraj, the document, which will be sent to the UN General Assembly on the occasion of holding its regular session, confirms that the Israeli siege violates the international system of human rights and international humanitarian law as well as the fourth Geneva convention which obliges Israel to respect civilians in time of war.

The document also underlines the destructive impacts of the Israeli siege on all aspects of life in Gaza in addition to the Palestinian people's right to resist the occupation, the siege and racism.

The document calls on the international community to assume its humanitarian and legal responsibilities and to take a decision criminalizing the Israeli siege and compelling Israel to end its mass punishment imposed on the Gaza people.

Meanwhile, the European campaign to break the siege affirmed Saturday that the new sea trip to break the Israeli siege on Gaza will start in the last week of Ramadan coming from Cyprus.

Anwar Al-Gharbi, the head of Rights For All Association and a founding member of the European campaign, stated that the boats this time will be carrying 150 personalities including European lawmakers and international figures in addition to a number of journalists and doctors.

MP Jamal Al-Khudari, the head of the popular committee against the siege, reported that the direct losses of the industrial sector is estimated at more than $70 million per month in addition to $10 million indirect losses as a result of the Israeli ban imposed on the entry of raw materials into Gaza despite the truce agreement.

MP Khudari explained that Israel has been barring the entry of raw materials and factory supplies for more than a year which led to the closure of 3,900 factories and workshops, and the unemployment of about 70,000 workers.

The lawmaker pointed out that Israel is also seizing Palestinian goods at its ports despite they were imported legally after paying all duties and taxes.

He added that these Israeli arbitrary measures contradict the fourth Geneva convention and all principles of international law, calling on those who have living conscience to stand by the paralyzed industrial sector in Gaza.

Khudari called on Egypt, in its capacity as the truce broker, to pressure the Israeli occupation to allow in all seized raw materials and supplies to Gaza.