Home
UN Rights Commissioner says Gaza blockade must end now
Karachi News.Net
Tuesday 18th November, 2008
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay, has called for an immediate end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
Her comments have angered Israel, and brought charges by officials that she is misinformed and shortsighted.
“By function of this blockade, 1.5 million Palestinian men, women and children have been forcibly deprived of their most basic human rights for months. This is in direct contravention of international human rights and humanitarian law. It must end now,” Ms. Pillay said Tuesday.
The High Commissioner called on the Israeli authorities to facilitate the urgent passage of essential humanitarian goods, including food, medical supplies, and fuel, to immediately allow the restoration of electricity, water and other essential services, and to lift movement restrictions preventing the passage of civilians for medical, educational and religious purposes.
“Decisive steps must be taken to preserve the dignity and basic welfare of the civilian population, more than half of whom are children,” she added.
The High Commissioner recalled that under the IV Geneva Convention, Israel as the Occupying Power, has the duty – to the fullest extend of the means available to it - to ensure the food and medical supplies of the population. “Only a full lifting of the blockade followed by a strong humanitarian response will be adequate to relieve the massive humanitarian suffering evident in Gaza today,” she said.
The High Commissioner called on all sides to respect international law and the security of the Palestinian and Israeli populations. She appealed for a complete cessation of Israeli incursions and air strikes and of rocket fire by Palestinian groups.
Israel's Ambassador Aharon (Ronny) Leshno-Yaar, the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations in Geneva, was quick to respond Tuesday saying Ms. Pillay was being utterly shortsighted and was repeating blatant misinformation.
"Overall responsibility for the situation in the Gaza Strip lies with Hamas, which invests all of its resources in arms and terrorism instead of providing for the civilians that it brutally controls," he said, pointing out that Palestinian groups had launched 170 rockets and mortars at Israel during the past ten days. This figure is at odds with the israeli army which puts the number of rockets and mortars fired at 140.
The ambassador also disputed the stopping of food aid saying 33 trucks carrying aid were allowed through on Monday. It was however the first and last shipment allowed through in more than two weeks.
Palestinian officials say the rocket attacks are in response to incursions by Israel, which is borne out by events on the ground. Israeli tanks, bulldozers and jeeps poured into southern Gaza on Tuesday and began leveling land along the border east of the city of Rafah. This prompted a barrage of rockets.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza now unfolding is not being reported to any major extent, partly because Israel has barred journalists from entering the area. A report Tuesday said foreign activists have been attempting to get into Gaza by sea. The Israeli Navy is boarding local fishing vessels to seek out the activists. The Jerusalem Post reported a militant as saying a foreign activist and five Palestinian fishermen have been arrested by the Israeli Navy after they boarded a fishing boat.
 Email this story to a friend
Comments on this story
Anonymous
11-18-08, 05:57 PM |
UN Rights Commissioner says Gaza blockade must end now
Good to see somebody standing up in this world for the Palestinians. It is unbelievablethat this is happenign and noone raises eyebrows. Just goes to show how well oiled the lobbyists are in just about every western country. If the roles of the israelis and Palestinians were reversed you ca imagine the outcry!
|
BigBill
11-18-08, 06:37 PM |
You're speaking to the wrong people!
Dear Ms. Pillay:
You are speaking to the wrong people.
Instead of Israel bashing, you should consider speaking to those groups shootoing the rockets. If the Palestinians would be shooting into a country where human rights were not important, such as Israel, Gaza would have been blasted into the sea.
|
shc
11-18-08, 08:17 PM |
Why now?
Ever since the American’s 08 Election started and until it end recently, we seldom hear any major news from Palestin. The world had put them on the back burner for sometime now. So to attract some attentions those Hamas’s leader got to sacrified a few young fighters by sending them to the frontline with Isreal. What a way for
attraction. Why don’t those fat ass Hamas leaders just go to the frontline and fire rockets at the Isreal. I would like to see how they will end up.
|
concerned party
11-18-08, 10:55 PM |
They brought it on themselves.
The Palestinians have continued to bite the hand that feeds them so the Israelis are simply withholding from them. This is a good lesson. Unfortunately, history records many foolish peoples that have perished at the decision of God. That land was given to the Israelis by God and the Palestinians are lucky the Israelis allow them to squat on it. They need to wise-up and be thankful to the Israelis and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lest they perish, too.
|
Anonymous
11-18-08, 07:54 PM |
Aren’t you getting the cart before the horse here Big Bill? if Israel had stayed within its borders, none of this would have happened! But no, they made incursions into the West Bank, which are now permanent but still illigal, but they don’t care, they have destroyed the gaza strip completely, it is unlivable for the Palestinians, and now you bray about it like a donkey with its testicles in a vice, wake up to the truth!
|
Anonymous
11-19-08, 12:37 AM |
Bite the hands that feed them?
What feeding? Israel has stopped the food trucks from the UN going into Gaza.
You say the Pallies have been provided for by israel. Provided with what? bombings, assassinations, check points, a barrier wall imprisoning them, stealing their land for settlement homes, cutting off fuel for their one and only power generator, refusing to allow the UN access to deliver food, arresting people (including children) and putting them in jail without trial. Even Monday the Israeli army charges into Gaza with tanks and bulldozers and starts leveling land. The Pallies fire rockets so the Israelis say “see, they are firing rockets, we have to do these things." You should wake up to yourself.
|
God's Servant
11-19-08, 12:03 PM |
U.N. Rights?
First of all, the U.N. is in no position of authority over Israel, so the Commissioner can complain all she wants. I just hope Irael ignores her as they do what they must.
It is truly a sad thing that the so-called “International Community” has been convinced by the anti-Israel folks that Israel is always at fault when in fact the Arabs and others similar want to destroy the Jewish people and the land God gave them.
NEWS FLASH! God Wins! No matter how long — everything is in HIS timing, so to speak — the current situation continues.
WARNING! It’s never a good idea to go against God and HIS chosen people. Those who do will lose. That’s reality.
|
Anonymous
11-19-08, 01:27 PM |
What do you mean the Arabs want to destroy the Jewish people?
What planet are you from? The Arab League has been trying for years to broker a peace deal with Israel. Its quite obvious your view is back-to-front. The Israeli government and its military and intelligence apparatus wants to destroy the Arabs, and frankly they are, bit by bit.
And then to add salt to the wound you say this is God’s way and its a matter for God’s “chosen people." I am certain God does not discriminate between His people, and there is no way in this world He would condone what Israel is doing in Gaza. You really need to get a grip on yourself.
|
Have your say on this story
|
 |
 |
- Pakistan has not rejected India's evidence on terrorism: Envoy
New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) Islamabad has not 'rejected' the evidence handed over by New Delhi, which points to the involvement of elements across the border in the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan's envoy here said Tuesday. [read story]
- Younis Khan blames PCB's poor facilities for absence of 'quality players'
Lahore, Jan.6 : Pakistan's top middle order batsman, Younis Khan, has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to provide better sporting facilities at the domestic arena to plift the standards of the sport in the country. [read story]
- Separatists in Kashmir pledge to continue their struggle
Srinagar, Jan 6 : Separatist groups in Kashmir pledged to continue their activities till the Kashmir problem is solved in their favour. [read story]
- Jud ban becomes subject of politicking in Pak
Lahore, Jan.6 : Even though the whole world is concerned about terror activities being run from its soil, grave issues like banning dreaded terror outfits seems to be a subject of political brickbating in Pakistan, with the federal government and the provincial government contradicting each other. [read story]
- Sri Lanka to announce Pakistan tour programme today
Islamabad, Jan.6 : As the mystery behind the delay in announcing the tour itinerary by the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) continues, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is likely to get a response from the SLC officials today, the Daily Times reported. [read story]
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
