Construction materials still blocked from entering Gaza

One of the most contentious parts of the Middle East peace process is Israel's policy in Gaza. In June, following the deadly attack on an aid ship headed to Gaza, Israel announced it would ease its blockade on the coastal enclave, saying it would allow raw building material for vital UN projects into the territory. But two months later, crucial building materials are still not being allowed to enter and tens of thousands continue to wait to rebuild their homes. FSRN's Rami Almeghari has more.

TRANSCRIPT

More than 19 months after the Gaza war, many displaced residents lack the materials to rebuild their homes. Instead of continuing in temporary shelter, such as rental apartments, some residents recently took over an abandoned residential building in northern Gaza.

[SOUND OF SOMEONE WORKING INSIDE THE RECENTLY-SEIZED ABANDONED BUILDING]

Bassam Dardouna is a father of 14 children. He and more than 35 other families seized the 10-story abandoned building. Dardouna says he has increasingly been unable to pay the rent for an apartment or afford university expenses of his four sons.

VOICE OVER BASSAM DARDOUNA: We are not here to rob or take over something which isn’t our own. We are not thieves, we are humans beings who seek safe shelter after we have been scattered.

Hamas authorities in Gaza promise they will consider the case, and are allowing those residents to stay in the building, which is mostly owned by the Hamas  government in Gaza.   But there is little the ruling government can do without the raw materials to rebuild homes—like cement, steel, wood and aluminum—which the Israeli government is still blocking.

In June of this year, Israel eased the blockade following a deadly attack on an aid flotilla that received international condemnation.  Many items that were previously banned, including electronics, carbonated drinks, cookies, kitchen tools and chocolates, can now be bought at the local market.

Yet, more than 45,000 displaced men, women and children are still awaiting reconstruction of their destroyed homes. In addition, United Nations agencies in Gaza also wait for materials for vital projects such as housing, schools, clinics, and sanitation and water facilities.

Maxwell Geylard is Deputy Special Coordinator of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

MAXWELL GEYLARD: Our emphasis frankly is opening, is getting the permissions and the coordination for the construction materials to come in. On reconstruction alone, reconstruction, rehabilitation of housing and schools, clinics and water and sanitation, we are talking about tens and tens of thousands of truckloads. It’s that scale. Kerem Shalom, the Israelis have been working very hard over the last few month to expand the capacity so that today, for example, 200 truckloads went in, whereas a few months ago it was 70.

In March 2009, the U.S., the E.U. and other donor countries met in the Egyptian Red Sea town of Sharm el-Sheikh.  Leaders have pledged four billion dollars in aid to the war-torn Gaza. But donors insisted that Hamas should renounce violence, accept past signed agreements and recognize Israel's right to exist before aid money comes in.

Omar Sha'ban is an economic analyst in Gaza. He comments on Israel's ban on construction materials.

OMAR SHA’BAN: If they allow more material, they think that Hamas will benefit. So they prefer the easiest way for them, which is to punish the whole community. They did not make effort to separate between Hamas and the rest of the community.  I am not saying here that Hamas should be punished by Israel, because by the end of the day Hamas was elected democratically, and they think the international community should help Hamas to be normal, by the recognition of Hamas and helping Hamas to learn and to adapt itself and to be part of the normal political system.

Rami Almeghari, FSRN, Gaza