Thursday February 25, 2010

Gaza not a charity case

KUALA LUMPUR: Palestinians in Gaza want the world to come together to end the Israeli siege instead of just looking at them as a charity case.

Free Gaza Movement leader Huwaida Arraf said that while Palestinians appreciated the aid, their main concern was for the siege to end and their suffering to cease.

Huwaida: ‘If we just keep giving aid, the suffering will go on forever. We must address the root cause’

“A lot of people think that Gaza is a charity case. If we just keep giving aid, it (the suffering) will go on forever. We must address the root cause.

“Israel has placed a complete blockade of Gaza Strip and no one is doing anything to stop it. We need political solidarity and hope more people will challenge Israel’s policy,” she said recently during a brief visit here to talk about their next Gaza boat mission in April.

The Palestinian-American activist has met former prime minister and Perdana Global Peace Organisation chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who spearheaded the Humanitarian Appeal Fund for Gaza war victims. The fund, of which Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor is the patron, has pledged to donate RM1.5mil.

Huwaida, who briefed Dr Mahathir of their latest plan, said Malaysian funds had enabled Free Gaza to purchase a cargo ship and at least one small passenger ship.

Funds, she said, were still needed to buy supplies.

Free Gaza, an international voluntary human rights movement, together with the Turkish Relief Foundation and organisations from countries such as Malaysia, France, Germany and Greece, would be heading to Gaza in a fleet of boats this April on a humanitarian trip.

She said their last three boat missions were “violently stopped” by Israel with their boat confiscated last June. The cargo ships would transport building supplies into Gaza besides education materials and generators to help Palestinians rebuild their lives, she added.

“Israel has not allowed reconstruction supplies to enter Gaza. We hope the supplies can be used to rebuild destroyed homes. Many families are still living in tents amid the rubble of their homes,” she added.

She said generators were also needed as besides the area experiencing frequent power cuts, Israel also limited fuel into Gaza,

She also thanked Malaysians for their donations, adding that Malaysia would play an important part in the mission.

Huwaida urged Barisan Nasional and opposition MPs, whom she met last August, to join their mission in April, which would comprise an international parliamentary delegation, civil leaders and the media.

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