The crisis caused by the
tremendous destruction of homes and infrastructure in July is now compounded by
severe flooding, the onset of winter, and an unconscionable delay in the
movement of reconstruction materials across the Israeli-Gaza border.
Quoting from the letter:
“Despite the much-touted Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) . . . just 2.9
percent of the materials needed for reconstruction and recovery plans have
entered thus far, with fewer reconstruction materials entering Gaza in November
than over the past three months. . . The Popular Committee for Monitoring the
Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip estimates that at the current pace it will
take at least 20 years to rebuild the Gaza Strip.” This “clear result of policy
inaction and failure,” the letter continues, is repairable if certain steps are
taken. The organizations ask, among other things, that:
· the U.S. increase its financial commitment to
the reconstruction effort, and ensure that these funds are disbursed
immediately to relevant United Nations agencies and NGOs
·
the U.S. urge Israel to lift the blockade of
Gaza, allowing full freedom of movement of people and goods and lifting restrictions
on import and export, “a crucial step for recovery and development of the local
economy”
·
the U.S. urge Egypt to open the Rafah crossing
·
the U.S. work with the U.N., Israel, and the
Palestinians to “resolve problematic aspects of the Gaza Reconstruction
Mechanism,” such as requiring homeowners receiving building materials to
register in a database accessible to Israeli intelligence agencies
·
the U.S. help ensure that “Israeli companies
that operate in settlements or are complicit in violations of international
humanitarian law do not profit from reconstruction efforts”
We are heartened to see that
Quaker organizations have joined the United Methodist Church, the United Church
of Christ, the Presbyterian Church, the Mennonite Central Committees in the
U.S. and Palestine, among many others, in proposing specific ways that the U.S.
can work to ease the suffering in Gaza. Friends can respond
personally by writing a letter to Secretary Kerry and President Obama; posting
on social media or telling a friend about the situation in Gaza; and/or by
donating badly needed funds for emergency relief to the United Nations Relief
and Works Agency (UNRWA) Gaza Appeal.  |
| We are inspired by the resiliance of the Palestinian people |
