GAZA: LOOSENING OF THE EMBARGO, MGR. SHOMALI (PATRIARCHATE), “GOOD, BUT THE EMBARGO IS STILL THERE”

Satisfaction is also expressed by mgr. William Shomali, new auxiliary bishop of Jerusalem, who explains to SIR that now “more goods may be brought into Gaza. Everything is running out in the Gaza Strip”. The hope is that the population may also have “concrete and iron to rebuild. Many projects are waiting. If building permission is granted, many people will be able to work and earn a living”. However, the bishop points out, “the embargo still applies to other things, and this prevents Gaza recovering”. According to mgr. Shomali, Israel’s decision is certainly not “the result of humanitarian reasons but political reasons. The case of the humanitarian fleet attacked by their troops damaged the image of Israel” which is now trying to make up for that. According to the media, in return for loosening the embargo on Gaza, Israel asked the international community to work for the immediate release of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli serviceman who has been in the hands of Hamas since June 2006. “I doubt – mgr. Shomali states – Hamas will release Shalit just because the embargo has been loosened. The conflict between Israel and Hamas is an ideological one and no one will surrender”.

While waiting to learn more about Israel’s decisions as to which goods that may be brought into the Gaza Strip again, from their house in Gaza where they take care of disabled and disadvantaged people, the nuns of the community of the Little Sisters of Jesus received Israel’s decision with some “satisfaction”. “The loosening of the embargo – they state – is a positive step, but it is only the first one, to bring the life of the whole Palestinian population back to normal. It will also help us in the work we carry out for the disadvantaged people and will relieve anxiety in people’s minds as well”. Good “but not enough”: this is the opinion of the secretary general of Caritas Jerusalem, Claudette Habesch, who, in a statement made to SIR, insists that “the problem must be tackled in its entirety. These are just few drops of a medicine that gives momentary relief, with no tangible effects. It is urgent instead that the embargo be totally lifted, that the population of Gaza be released and given the chance to live, work, earn a living with dignity”.


© SIr - 17 june 2010