By Alyxandra Stanczak
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
JERUSALEM, Israel – In response to discussion and comments about the Gaza embargo led by British Middle East envoy Tony Blair, and U.S. special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu testified in the foreign affairs and defense committees of the Knesset, Israel’s legislative branch, that the Gaza blockade should restrict fewer critical items. Netanyahu’s testimony came after Arab League prime minister Amr Moussa’s trip to Gaza this past week to meet with Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh.
Netanyahu indicated last week that he supported increasing the amount and type of items that would no longer be subject to Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The former rules governing Israel’s blockade required all items entering Gaza be on an “allowed items” list. This rule was amended so that items not explicitly on a “banned items” list could be imported into Gaza.
Significantly, building materials can now be shipped into Gaza. The region’s infrastructure underwent intense damage during the 2008-09 three week Gaza War. Roughly five percent of Gaza’s commercial and government buildings were destroyed, resulting in the loss of 189 buildings, including eleven factories and eight warehouses. Furthermore, 6268 homes are estimated to have been damaged or destroyed during the war. These buildings have, largely, remained unrepaired since 2009 due to the difficulty in attaining necessary repair materials. As a result of the damage to these dwellings and the lack of available material to repair them, it is estimated that roughly 20,000 Gazanas have remained displaced after the war.
The Knesset’s decision to allow building materials into Gaza is the first stage in the process of rebuilding infrastructure in the war-torn region. Schools, hospitals, government buildings, and other critical institutions that were severely damaged, hope to begin rebuilding as soon as the materials become available in Gaza.
For more information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Israel to loosen Gaza blockade – 21 June 2010
BBC – Israel outlines changes to Gaza blockade – 21 June 2010
Ha’aretz – Decision to ease Gaza seige weakens Hamas – 21 June 2010
Reuters – U.N. agency calls for full lifting of Gaza blockade – 21 June 2010
United Nations Development Programme – Gaza – One Year After Report – 24 May 2010
Human Rights Watch – Israel: Investigate Unlawful Destruction in the Gaza War – 13 May 2010
