Israel terrorist government allows water filtration system into Gaza; refuses children's toys from UNICEF

Date: 03 / 03 / 2009  Time:  18:04
Bethlehem - Ma’an -

 A UN report revealed that the Israeli occupation terrorist government, though refusing to allow construction materials into Gaza, allowed a Brackish Water Desalination Plant, nine trucks of prefab materials for school assembly between 22 and 28 February.

During the same time period 57 boxes of children’s toys from UNICEF were denied entry. “According to COGAT (coordinator of government activities in the territories),” the UN report released Tuesday said, “The toys were not a humanitarian priority.”

Israeli authorities have resolutely refused to allow concrete, steel bars and construction equipment into the West Bank for fear that it would fall into the hands of Hamas. A Brackish Water Desalination Plant includes filtration systems, pumps, pressure valves, chemical treatment materials, electronic switchboards and remote control systems. The plant will provide 50 m3 of drinking water per hour which will benefit approximately 22,000 refugees in the Al-Bureij camp in the central strip.

While there is no question that such systems are a humanitarian necessity, according to reports by leading NGOs in the area, they have also stressed the importance of school supplies and the danger of major psychosomatic trauma among the children of Gaza.

Israel allowed a prefab school building into Gaza, but not 50 Early Childhood Education kits from UNICEF.

So as the refusals continue bare-minimum materials are allowed piecemeal into Gaza despite international partners who have “pressed for this incessantly” as Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations for the European Union said Tuesday.

Israeli terrorist forces warplanes bomb Egypt-Gaza border

Date: 04 / 03 / 2009  Time:  10:26
Gaza – Ma’an –

Israeli terrorist forces warplanes on Wednesday morning bombed the tunnel area at the Gaza-Egypt border in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Director of Ambulance and Emergency Services in the Palestinian Health Ministry Muawiya Hassanein told Ma’an that there were no casualties amongst Palestinian citizens.

Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources at Abu Yousif An-Najjar Hospital in Rafah said 12 Palestinians were injured in Tuesday’s shelling of the same tunnel area.

Israel's security cabinet is scheduled to convene Wednesday at the Israeli prime minister’s office to discuss the continuation of fired projectiles from the Gaza Strip toward towns in southern Israel.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, and other military commanders are expected to attend the meeting.

PLO Report: Israeli military kill 17 Palestinians including 4 children in February

Wednesday March 04, 2009 14:55 by Maram Isid & Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News & Agencies

The International Relations Department of the Palestinian Liberation Organization issued on Wednesday a report documenting the Israeli military attacks on Palestinians during the month of February 2009.

Israeli troops kidnaping a Palestinian man in the west Bank - Photo by IMEMC's Ghassan Bannoura 2008

The report shows that 17 Palestinian including 4 children were killed last month by the Israeli military fire in the west Bank and Gaza.

In addition there was 320 Palestinian who have been kidnapped by the Israeli troops and 8 Palestinian-owned homes demolished by the Israeli Authorities in Jerusalem, the PLO reported.

The report also shows that the Israeli army continued to siege the Gaza strip for the 19th month by the end of February; moreover the report documented a number of cases where the army did not allow patients to leave Gaza for treatment outside bringing the number of those who died due to the siege to 300 patients.