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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan | |
| Britain to send £50m to Palestine | |
| 2009-12-28 | |
Britain yesterday marked the first anniversary of Israel's military onslaught on Gaza by announcing a £50m aid package for Palestinians, including backing for what it called "a drive against extremism" among the territory's young people.
Yesterday Hamas marked the anniversary of the conflict with protests in the Gaza city of Jebaliya, close to where senior militant leader Nizar Rayyan was killed by an Israeli bomb. But with only 3,000 loyalists in attendance, according to AP, most residents ignored calls to show solidarity with their leadership, many expressing their dissatisfaction with Gaza's economic collapse by staying at home. The British aid is in part intended to alleviate that crisis. The bulk of the money will go to budget support for the moderate-led Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah. But £7m has been earmarked to help war-stricken Gazans in the winter. Another £5m will pay for 562 teachers in UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools in the area. John Ging, UNRWA's Gaza operation director, has indicated one of the biggest challenges faced by UNRWA schools for 260,000 refugee children in Gaza is tackling extremism fuelled by the winter offensive and Israel's continued siege. Mr Ging, who welcomed the British package, has said an end to the blockade would be a major help in countering radicalism among Gaza's young. Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary, said yesterday: "Better education in Gaza, free from extremist influences, is key to building the region's future." Mr Alexander, one of only a handful of EU ministers to have visited Gaza in the last two years, called on Israel to lift the embargo imposed after the breakdown of the Hamas-Fatah coalition and Hamas's seizure by force of full control of the Strip in June 2007. He said conditions were "dire" with "large numbers" of children lacking shelter, access to water and a balanced diet. The Israeli military said that three Palestinians-associated with Fatah's military wing-whom it killed in Nablus early on Saturday were responsible for the fatal shooting earlier in the week of a rabbi who lives in the northern West Bank Jewish settlement of Shavei Shomron. The Western-backed PA has protested at the military's incursion which has put strains on its security accords with Israel. | |
| Posted by:lotp |
| #3 TOPIX > [Gaza-WB Paleos]BOMBED BACK TO THE "MUD AGE", NOT THE STONE AGE. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-12-28 22:01 |
| #2 £50m should buy a lot of rockets. Thanks a heap Mr. Brown. |
| Posted by: DMFD 2009-12-28 13:53 |
| #1 The more things change. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-12-28 08:33 |