What if in remote case the PM actually floats in the flotilla and come to Gaza and Israel let the flotilla through. But then all the others are stopped?
Israel is already allowing a certain amount of aid to go through after throughly checking the content. What if they keep doing it from the next trip onward. If nothing else, may be the scanning would be more severe and all the wrath will fall upon the poor people of Gaza.
Thats what I am pointing out since beginning, if Turkey is so concerned, then it should look for long term solutions not a token gesture like sending PM with the supply.
KB this the very recent report on the issues with humanitarian aid into GAZA and west bank.
SPECIAL FOCUS
May 2010
IMPEDING ASSISTANCE: CHALLENGES TO MEETING THE HUMANITARIAN NEEDS OF PALESTINIANS
This Special Focus draws attention to the range of measures currently impeding the humanitarian communitys ability to provide assistance to vulnerable Palestinians. The delivery of principled humanitarian assistance requires an operating environment that is conducive to the regular and continued deployment of staff and supplies, and managed in accordance with the principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence. In the occupied Palestinian territory, however, the humanitarian community is facing a number of obstacles to the movement of staff and goods and other restrictions impacting day-to-day operations that limit its ability to efficiently and effectively respond to existing needs.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
When the delivery of humanitarian access is restricted, lives are lost and misery prolonged needlessly.1
John Holmes, UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
The delivery of principled humanitarian assistance requires an operating environment that is conducive to the regular and continued deployment of staff and supplies, and managed in accordance with the humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence. In the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), however, the humanitarian community is facing a number of obstacles to the movement of staff and goods and other restrictions impacting day-to-day operations that impede the provision of humanitarian aid to vulnerable Palestinians.
The current humanitarian operation in the oPt is one of the largest in the world; at the time of its launching in November 2009, the oPt Consolidated Appeal (CAP) for 2010 ranked fifth out of 12 appeals globally, in terms of requested assistance. Through the oPt CAP, UN agencies and international and national NGOs2 requested over US$ 660 million for 2010. This support is intended to help mitigate the worst impacts of on-going conflict on the most vulnerable Palestinians, who continue to face a human dignity crisis, characterized by the erosion of livelihoods and the continued denial of basic human rights; nearly 40 percent of the Palestinian population is food-insecure and unemployment levels in the West Bank and Gaza Strip remain high.3
The humanitarian operations outlined in the oPts CAP occur within the context of a prolonged Israeli military occupation in which policies to alter the status and character of the territory continue to be pursued contrary to international law. The situation in the Gaza Strip, in particular, presents severe impediments to humanitarian operations. Sweeping import restrictions imposed by Israel since June 2007 have either prevented the implementation of planned humanitarian projects or resulted in significant delays. For example, UNRWA reports that it has had 24 construction and infrastructure projects, totaling some US$ 109 million in donor funds, frozen as a result of the blockade. Among the affected projects are schools, health facilities, housing units, and sewage infrastructure. Additionally, the no contact policy of some donors, prohibiting contact with the Hamas authorities, continues to affect some humanitarian organizations, while Hamass requests for compliance with its administrative procedures from UN agencies and NGOs have intensified. This two-way tension is narrowing the operational independence of some organizations and, at times, restricts on-going humanitarian operations.
In the West Bank, humanitarian organizations face ongoing restrictions on movement and access. Policies include a permit regime required for staff from the West Bank to enter East Jerusalem, and continued access difficulties stemming from the deployment of hundreds of closure obstacles, among others. In particular, agencies mandated with service provision are limited in doing so in Area C, due to the restrictive planning regime applied by Israel and restrictions to obtaining building permits and difficulties accessing certain areas.
The humanitarian communitys primary concern with the measures outlined in this report is that they impede its ability to meet the needs of vulnerable Palestinians whose livelihoods have been reduced or destroyed by years of continued occupation, conflict and the denial of basic human rights.4 More than ever, immediate steps are required to reverse this trend.
A complete lifting of Israels blockade on the Gaza Strip and improved Palestinian access to land and resources in the West Bank and external markets are just a few examples of measures that could significantly improve Palestinian livelihoods through a reduction in unemployment and poverty. Israels modest relaxation in recent months of some import restrictions, which have allowed for the entry to Gaza of a number of much needed, previously-restricted items, including glass, wood, and aluminum, among others, have been welcome improvements.
In addition, all parties to the conflict must abide by their international legal obligations to ensure the smooth passage of humanitarian relief and personnel, and that the humanitarian community is able to carry out its work effectively and efficiently. Additionally, there is a need for donor countries to strongly advocate for an improvement in the humanitarian situation and respect for humanitarian operations in their bilateral relations with the authorities concerned. Another necessary step is that relevant donor countries and affected humanitarian organizations re-evaluate their position vis-à-vis the no contact policy, where humanitarian operations are concerned, as well as related funding restrictions. Finally, the humanitarian community needs financial support for initiatives designed to resolve or overcome access issues and other restrictions on humanitarian operations.
Impeding Assistance: Challenges to Meeting the Humanitarian Needs of Palestinians -- OCHA special focus (27 May 2010)
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT GENEVA
REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE
4 June 2010
Situation in Gaza
Christiane Berthiaume of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said that the United Nations Children's Fund and its partners were working in extremely difficult conditions to provide help to the approximately 800,000 children in Gaza, which represented more than half of the population living in the Strip. Development gains in Gaza were being reversed due to the blockade.
Together with the UN Secretary-General, UNICEF calls for an immediate lifting of the closure, and full, unimpeded access for humanitarian supplies and personnel, said Ms. Berthiaume.
The current situation was particularly affecting the youngest ones. Children in need of specialized care outside of Gaza had to navigate severe access restrictions and ten had died between 2009 and January 2010 due to delays in accessing critical care.
According to a study by Save the Children, chronic malnutrition in children had doubled from 1.2 per cent in 2006 to 2.4 per cent in 2008, said Ms. Berthiaume. Also, no new schools have been built due to the lack of construction material and the vast majority of schools had to operate in double shift in order to accommodate the sheer number of students.
Students wishing to pursue their studies abroad were regularly barred from leaving Gaza. Learning achievements within Gaza were plummeting, said Ms. Berthiaume. This year, only 46 per cent of fourth graders had passed their mathematics exams and 50 per cent their Arab language exams.
Ms. Berthiaume said that water and wastewater services have been rendered unreliable due to the lack of essential material for repair and maintenance work. Only around 10 per cent of the water in Gazas aquifer was fit for human consumption. Every day between 50 to 80 million of litres of partially untreated sewage were released into the Mediterranean.
Further, there was no specific list of what was allowed to enter Gaza or not. United Nations Children's Fund items have taken prolonged period for clearance into Gaza, including water pumps that had now spent seventeen months in the Ashdod warehouse, said Ms. Berthiaume. Math and science teaching kits had been stuck at customs since January because they contained periscopes and compasses.
Blockade's impact on children in Gaza - UNICEF/UNOG press briefing (Excerpts) (4 June 2010)
