Tuesday, April 15, 2008
One million litres of fuel withheld in Gaza: UN
Gaza's main fuel distributor is holding back one million litres of fuel, UN figures showed on Monday a day after Israel claimed Hamas was stage-managing a crisis in the Palestinian territory.
However, a UN official who requested anonymity said that the current stocks of fuel and industrial gasoline stored in Gaza are sufficient for only several days.
"The general petroleum association refuses to distribute in protest of the lack of supply of fuel by Israel," he said.
The Palestinian General Petroleum Corporation is responsible for the distribution of fuel across the Hamas-run territory, where the union of petrol station owners went on strike several days ago in protest at the fuel cuts.
Israel shut the Nahal Oz crossing and fuel terminal on Wednesday after a raid by Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli employees and shattered a month-long lull in violence.
An Israeli army spokeswoman told AFP that the terminal will remain closed for several days as the army was examining ways to beef up security procedures there in the wake of the deadly attack...
So they get it partially right. In fact, the strike is going on under Hamas orders. And why is there a temporary halt (of only a few days we're told)? Because the Palestinians came across the border, shelled the terminal and murdered two people. And what do the UN and the press do? Amplify the self-inflicted, staged whining of the people who staged the shortage and perpetrated the murders.
The UN official also said that there was "a clear increase" in the number of trucks crossing from Israel into Gaza carrying humanitarian aid and basic supplies in March compared with the previous month.
More than 2,800 trucks filled with basic supplies -- mainly food, drugs, cleaning products and construction material -- entered Gaza through the four crossings with Israel in March.
Another 430 trucks carrying humanitarian aid also reached Gaza last month, he said...
Some blockade.
This sort of grievance theatre only works so long as the rest of us care. It could be my heart has become two sizes too small.