MPAC Call for U.S. Leadership on Palestinian Crisis
December 09, 2008
The Muslim Public Affairs Council today called on the Bush administration and the Obama transition team to follow in the footsteps of the United Nations and call for Israel to lift its stifling blockade on the Gaza Strip.
The U.N. Human Rights Council, which consists of 47 member states, today passed a list of 99 recommendations of gestures for Israel to make to ease Palestinian suffering. The U.S. did not take part in the discussion, according to media reports. The current vacuum of American leadership on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is inexcusable.
SEE: "UN to Israel: Free Palestinian Prisoners, Lift Gaza Blockade" (Jerusalem Post)
Since Nov. 4, Israel's blockade has kept Gaza's borders closed off except for five days when food and medicine was allowed in. A few border crossing were temporarily reopened today to allow essential aid supplies but are expected to be shut down shortly. For the past month, the Gaza Strip has been closed to virtually all supplies, and Palestinians have faced critical food shortages, lengthy power cuts and no cooking gas. The situation has led the U.N. to describe conditions there as the "worst ever."
"The Palestinians cannot wait for the inauguration of a new president to see the blockade lifted and have access to food, water and fuel," said Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC Executive Director. "We cannot stand back as a nation and allow such atrocious and entirely avoidable suffering to go on. We call on our leaders to act now to prevent the starvation of Palestinian civilians."
Israel has not allowed money to enter Gaza as part of its stepped-up blockade in response to rocket attacks. In recent months, Israel has blocked the shipment of shekel bills into Gaza, saying the money winds up in the hands of Hamas. The World Bank warned cash shortages could lead to the collapse of the commercial banking system and create "serious humanitarian implications" in Gaza, where 1.5 million Palestinians reside.
