Haniya gov't forms committee to file war crime charges against Israel

[ 25/01/2009 - 12:35 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

The Palestinian government headed by premier Ismail Haniya formed an official committee to document the Israeli atrocities committed in the Gaza Strip in order to prosecute Israel's leaders as war criminals in regional and international courts.   

Minister of justice Mohamed Al-Ghoul called on all international and local institutions working in the field of law or human rights to coordinate with this official committee, stressing the need to pool and intensify all efforts to confront the Israeli occupation and its Nazi leaders in order to achieve the desired objectives.

In another context, minister of social affairs Ahmed Kurd announced on Saturday the formation of the higher national committee for relief in order to coordinate and supervise urgent relief operations for the citizens affected by the Israeli war on Gaza.

Kurd told a news conference that the committee is formed of the ministry of social affairs in addition to Palestinian factions and institutions of civil society, noting that this committee is the only one operating in Gaza.   The minister explained that the committee would be the only authority which is referred to in relief efforts in order to provide transparency and ensure the distribution of relief assistance to all segments of the society. 

He stressed that the ministry had contacts with all Palestinian factions in Gaza including Fatah, where a representative of Fatah participated in the preparatory meeting of the committee.

Kurd said that the committee would distribute more than 35 million euros to those affected by the aggression on Gaza.

The minister pointed out that the committee is not for the reconstruction of destroyed areas, but it was formed to provide instant relief to all citizens who were wounded or whose houses were destroyed partially or completely, adding that the reconstruction efforts need enormous amounts of money and coordination with donor countries.     In an exclusive statement to the PIC, Dr. Mohamed Asqool, the minister of education stated that the opening of the second school semester and the return of students to classrooms on Saturday represent a message to the Israeli occupation that Palestinian students decided to continue their lives in defiance of the size of pain and destruction it caused in Gaza.

Dr. Asqool said that 250,000 students from all levels returned to 380 schools in Gaza, adding that the destruction that affected some schools was addressed through transferring students to other schools.

About 200,000 students studying in UNRWA schools also returned on the same day to classrooms.

Palestinian National Archives seeks NGO cooperation in documenting rights violations

Date: 25 / 01 / 2009  Time:  14:48
Ramallah – Ma’an –

Palestinian National Archives is requesting that all organizations involved in cataloguing the human rights violations of Israel during the Gaza war coordinate with the institution in order to ensure complete and accurate information is gathered.

It further urged organizations working in Gaza to thoroughly document their activities and the conditions of the people they work with, even if their primary purpose is not documentation.

The media department at the archives said any and all audio-visual documentation will facilitate the work of Arab and Palestinian human rights organizations that are currently collecting testimonials and will compile them by age categories.

Files documenting internationally prohibited actions like:

-the intentional killing of civilians
-destruction of educational and medical facilities, houses of worship , residential and commercial areas, governmental compounds and ministries
-the bulldozing of lands and uprooting trees , and;
-the use of restricted weapons (especially those left behind).

Charitable organizations begin surveying destroyed homes in Gaza

Date: 24 / 01 / 2009  Time:  17:24
Gaza – Ma’an –

Civil society organizations in the Gaza Strip began field surveys to assess damage to homes and civilians done during Israel’s three week onslaught on Gaza.

The survey, which began Friday, was led by the foundation Cooperation Without Limits in association with Gaza for Culture and Development, the Al-Batool Charitable Society and the Al-Shoaka Charitable Society.

The first stage of the survey included walks around the neighborhoods of Al-Tawam, Al-Salateen, Al-Karama, Al-Zaytoon, Al-Shuja’iya, Al-Sha’af and east Rafah.

Local committees have estimated that at least 1,600 families have had their homes partially or completely destroyed.

Director of the foundation Husam Ahmed sent an urgent appeal to donor organizations asking for support. He also suggested a joint committee of civil society organizations be formed in order to set-up a mechanism for distributing aid to families afflicted by the disaster. He offered his help and cooperation for any donor organization, promising statistics and logistical support.

De facto government: Rafah remains closed for Gazans wishing to get out

Date: 24 / 01 / 2009  Time:  14:43
Gaza – Ma’an –

The Rafah crossing is not yet open for Gazans wishing to leave the Strip, said spokesperson of the de facto public administration of crossings Adel Zu’rub on Saturday.

Denying claims that the crossing was opened for those with residency visas for foreign countries and students with study permits for abroad, Zu’rub announced the crossing is only open for travel to those who carry foreign passports, Egyptians or patients.

Following the cessation of violence in Gaza, many families with relatives abroad have been enquiring about permissions to cross into Egypt and put behind them the dire conditions of the Gaza Strip.

“Egypt had refused to allow through [Rafah crossing] those with residency and student visas,” Zu’rub said. So far the only people to leave the Strip have been the injured and 50 foreign journalists.

The crossing is operating at full capacity for goods traveling to Gaza, however, and is ushering through trucks loaded with medications.

“There have been huge efforts” made by the de facto government in Gaza, noted Zu’rub, “to alleviate the situation Gazans are living under by allowing them to move by coordinating with the Egyptian side.”

Minister: War caused 170 million in damage to Gaza farms

Date: 24 / 01 / 2009  Time:  13:27
Gaza – Ma’an –

 Israel’s three week war caused 170 million US dollars in damage to the agriculture sector in Gaza, the Agriculture Minister in the de facto government reported on Saturday.

Agriculture Minister Muhammad Al-Agha said losses could be as high as 200 million from an “agricultural holocaust” committed by Israel during the war.

Al-Agha explained that losses in the livestock sector alone amount to 110 million dollars.

He said 1,000 irrigation wells were destroyed along with, vast areas of vegetable and fruits farms, egg incubators and green houses.

He pointed out that each animal farm cost more than three million dollars, highlighting that his ministry received financial support from several Arab and European countries. However, Al-Agha asserts that the ministry needs special European and international teams to investigate the possible use of depleted uranium, phosphorus, and other substances that could harm agriculture in the long term.

The minister announced that special committees of veterinarians and agriculturalists have been formed to assess the scale of the damage in the agricultural sector in order to eventually help affected farmers.