| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Indonesia: Volunteers still in Gaza despite Egypt's call to leave territory |
| 2009-02-11 |
| (AKI/The Jakarta Post) - An Indonesian medical team is continuing its humanitarian mission in the Gaza Strip, despite a final call issued by the Egyptian government for foreign volunteers to leave the Palestinian territory. Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) executive Joserizal Jurnalis said four members of the group were carrying on their services at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. "As of today, four of our volunteers are staying in Gaza to continue their mission and work on a project to build a hospital there," Joserizal said Sunday as quoted by Indonesia's state news agency Antara. Egypt had set a 5 February deadline for all volunteers to return to Egypt through the border town of Rafah, following a 17 January unilateral cease-fire by Israel, after a three week offensive that killed over 1,373 Palestinians. However, sporadic flare-ups of tit-for-tat violence have continued. MER-C presidium chairman Sarbini Abdul Murad said the Egyptian government's policy was unclear, particularly for volunteers maintaining a presence in Gaza. "We observed that people were streaming into Rafah from Gaza even after the 5 February deadline," he said. Arief Rachman, head of the MER-C mission currently serving in Gaza, said his team was helping victims of the war at Al-Shifa Hospital. "We are here to carry on the work of the first team to build a hospital," he said. During a recent meeting with MER-C representatives, Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said the government would provide Rp 10 billion (850,000 dollars) to help the MER-C build the two-story hospital. With the project estimated at Rp 20 billion, Joserizal said MER-C would cover the rest of the cost through a fund-raising program. MER-C has sent two teams to Gaza, the first of which, led by Joserizal, arrived back in Indonesia on 31 January and 3 February. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 yah, like Nazi Germany had "volunteers" in Civil War Spain. |
| Posted by: Elmusoting Tojo4877 2009-02-11 17:14 |