Anonymous again....

Anonymous: I am out of the country and don't have facts and figures with me....I will post them when I can. Perhaps another reader has them.


I do know that the World Health Organization and UNRWA have spoken and published about food shortages, malnutrition and vitamin deficiency. These are serious problems with children and pregnant women. 


Israel's extension of a "buffer zone" on Palestinian land has greatly reduced Gaza's tillable land by 25 to 35 percent. This seriously reduces their food production...causing severe shortages. I can't quite understand taking Palestinian land for Israel's buffer zone. If I wanted to create a buffer zone between my property and my neighbors I would have to build it on my own land. Even if my neighbor was throwing things onto it, even shooting things, I would have to take that to court (as in the International Court for countries) It may not be right, and even illegal to throw things on your neighbors land but you can't just take it for your own use. Israel has taken and taken Palestinian land...As I said, why, if Israel wants a buffer zone can't they build it on their own land?????


AS for "Israel sending millions, correction billions of Shekels of food into Gaza these days? I sure would like your reference source on that. Is this aid...you know, just given to help the people in Gaza...similar to truckloads of food that rotted in the desert in 2009 because the aid was not allowed to be delivered to Gaza. In 2009 Israel was allowing 50 items...50... to be imported into Gaza..at any one time ....they created a list, which no one in Gaza ever saw and without input from Gaza's medical or health care professionals, UNRWA, WHO...! The list also changed without notice. The goods Israel does allow to be imported are goods and food produced in Israel....which helps Israel's economy? 


If you want facts:...The US gives more aid to Israel than it does to any other country in the world! I thought Israel was booming and was shocked they met criteria of a country in need. Speaking of BILLIONS the US gives Israel 3.5 billion dollars in military aid per year. That's right, 3.5 billion. I'll find some information about Israel's "starving" the people in Gaza. Thanks for writing. ( you may check this out on the US Gov. Foreign Aid site.

You proceeded to send me photographs of well stocked shops in Gaza...that may have been true for these reasons: The photos when originally circulated were taken prior to Eid, a major celebration at the close of Ramadan. New clothes are worn by children....or their very, very best. Stores in all Muslim neighborhoods are as well stocked as possible. Now, how do you know those items were generously allowed into Gaza by Israel??? Food is also an essential part of the Eid celebration; again availability would be at it's peak. Think about Passover....that is the closest I could come up with because of all the special food. Gaza's source of daily staples....food, clothing, housewares, etc are supplied vis the tunnels. Yes anonymous there are tunnels and the Palestinians in Gaza would not be able to live without the goods brought in through tunnels. They are not there to supply militants with rockets....they are used for that but munitions are a very small portion of tunnel business. It's estimated there are 1,000 tunnels....on tunnel roads....not hidden away in secret. If you are interested I did a post about them in 2009.

Should Israel actually have allowed the items shown in your pictures to be imported, I applaud them. It was a humanitarian act rarely exhibited by the Israeli government. Hopefully if Israel did allow those goods into  Gaza this will be the first of many such actions....a change of policy that is greatly needed for the people of Gaza and for Israel its self..
 
I have not published your comment or pictures, sorry but that's my prerogative. If I'n not mistaken the pictures were released by the Israeli governments public relations department, that may not be the correct title for the agency. I do not consider them a creditable source...they doctor photographs, splice audio recordings and lie about "information"....fortunately, at times they have actually retracted said items.