<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Gaza’s dilemma: buildings or&nbsp;bread]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p style="text-align:justify;">Late last June, residents of Gaza received some long overdue good news. Israel <a href="http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/Spokesman/2010/06/spokemediniyut206010.htm" target="_blank">declared</a> a change in the closure policy: it promised to expand the operation of  the active border crossings, open additional border crossings “if there  is a need to further increase the capacity of the border crossings” and  to allow the transfer of building materials for projects undertaken by  international organizations. The Turkel Commission’s interim report  published this week determined that these “easings” made the closure,  which, according to the commission, was already kosher, more kosher  still.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">But the news turned out to be not so good after all. The transfer of building materials into the Gaza Strip came <a href="http://www.gazagateway.org/2010/11/if-they-haven%E2%80%99t-bread-let-them-eat-gravel/" target="_blank">at the expense</a> of the transfer of wheat, causing a severe shortage of the basic food  product. Last week, reserves of wheat ran out almost completely. UNWRA  also <a href="http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_protection_of_civilians_2011_01_21_english.pdf" target="_blank">announced</a> in the middle of last week that the organization’s wheat reserves were  about to be exhausted. It appears that Israel is in no hurry to  translate the urgent need for wheat (as well as other goods) into an  increase in the capacity of the crossings, as it had previously  announced. However it did consent to <a href="http://maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=352972" target="_blank">open</a> the Karni crossing additional times this week – having closed it for a week earlier this month – to ease the shortage.</p>
<div id="attachment_1868" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width:324px;"><a rel="lightbox[1865]" href="http://www.gazagateway.org/wp-content/uploads/KholeeBakery.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1868" title="KholeeBakery" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.gazagateway.org/wp-content/uploads/KholeeBakery.jpg" alt="" width="314" height="233" /></a></p>
<p class="wp-caption-text">A bakery in Gaza. Photo: Mohammed Azaiza, Gisha</p>
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<p style="text-align:center;">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">On the other hand, UNRWA reports  that the amount of gravel Israel allows to transfer at the expense of  wheat are insufficient. Three months ago, UNRWA already <a href="http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_the_humanitarian_monitor_2010_08_25_english.pdf" target="_blank">predicted</a> that at the current pace of transferring gravel, the organization’s plan to rebuild Gaza would be completed in 75 years.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">And that’s not the end of the “good” news. It turns out that Israel is <a href="http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=203554" target="_blank">planning</a> to close the Karni crossing and move its operations to Kerem Shalom, through which UNRWA is already <a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=353247" target="_blank">forced to transfer</a> humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza, the majority of whom are  dependent on its services. Kerem Shalom is farther from Gaza City than  Karni, raising transport costs.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">The Turkel Commission claimed that “the  combined purpose of the closure is… to strategically limit Hamas’s  ability to attack Israel and its citizens”. Unless its ammunition is  made out of wheat and gravel, it is not clear how the commission reached  that conclusion.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.gazagateway.org/2011/01/gazas-dilemma-buildings-or-bread/">Gaza Gateway » Gaza’s dilemma: buildings or bread</a>.</p>
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