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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| UNRWA suspends Gaza aid after Hamas steals shipment |
| 2009-02-06 |
| NO SOUP FOR YOU! The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) on Friday said it is suspending humanitarian aid in Gaza until further notice, after Hamas seized control of its warehouses and stole 200 tons of food and supplies. Ah, they've expanded the operation. The agency said it made the decision after Hamas personnel seized an aid shipment on Thursday. Earlier this week, Hamas police took thousands of blankets and food parcels meant for needy residents. UNRWA said 10 truckloads of flour and rice that had been delivered into Gaza on Thursday were taken away by trucks affiliated with the Hamas-run Ministry of Social Affairs. Earlier this week, Hamas police took thousands of blankets and food parcels meant for needy residents. It appears Hamas has determined that some are more needy then others. Like Hamas... UNRWA said the suspension would remain in effect until the aid is returned and the agency receives credible assurances from the Hamas government that such thefts will end. There was no immediate reaction from Hamas. We'll get back to you when we stop laughing. It could be awhile. UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness said the agency would continue to distribute aid from its existing supplies in Gaza, but that stocks were running thin. "There is enough aid for days, not weeks," he said. Complicating the situation, he said the agency has not been able to import plastic bags used for food distribution, and that existing supplies will run out early next week. I'd kinda keep that quiet or the brave Resistance™ fighters will be by to grab that... A UN spokesman on Wednesday said Hamas police in Gaza broke into a warehouse full of UN humanitarian supplies and seized thousands of blankets and food packages, creating a rare public clash between the international agency that feeds much of the territory and the militant group that rules it. Geez, that's gratitude for ya. How about we consider it a UNRWA Dope Slap... The incident highlighted difficulties facing donors seeking to bypass Hamas while helping Gazans survive and rebuild after Israel's three-week military offensive. So...don't donate. "Hamas policemen stormed into an aid warehouse in Gaza City Tuesday evening and confiscated 3,500 blankets and over 400 food parcels ready for distribution to 500 families," said UNRWA spokesman Christopher Gunness on Wednesday. "They were armed, they seized this, they took it by force," Gunness said, terming the incident absolutely unacceptable. STOP IN THE NAME OF THE UN! Yeah...right. C'mon, guys, be serious, will yas. Police seized the aid after UNRWA officials refused to voluntarily hand it over to the Hamas-run Ministry of Social Affairs, he said. Similar aid packages were distributed to 70,000 residents over the past two weeks, Gunness said. Ahmad Kurd, the Hamas official in charge of the ministry, did not deny the aid was seized. Other Hamas officials defended their actions. Hamas spokesman Taher Nunu demanded an apology and said UNRWA was spreading false news. Oh-oh. Looks like another case of Offended Palistinian Dignity™... Ihab Ghussein, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said the incident occurred because the UN was storing the blankets in an area not authorized to be distributed. Ah. I knew there was a good reason... In Gaza, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum called UNRWA's decision unjustified. He said Hamas supports UNRWA's work, but believes that some of the agency's employees were giving aid to groups attached to rival political parties. "We as Hamas refuse all use of the people's needs for political ends," he said. He called on UNRWA "to put an end to using aid for political means, and to distribute it to all the needy equally." Yeah, that's our gig. Keep ya filthy infidel mitts off it. UN officials said the aid was kept in a local storage facility because the organization's regular warehouses were full. The UN, human rights groups and Palestinians have often complained that a blockade by Israel and Egypt has left Gaza critically short of vital supplies. Riddle me this Batman. If vital supplies are "critically short", why are the warehouses so full they have to use local ones? Kurd said the Hamas government had already distributed $50 million in emergency relief to residents and promised additional payments for hardship cases. Wait, make that 50 million billion zillion dollars... Gunness said this was the first time Hamas seized UNRWA supplies. "Does anyone really think that the Americans, who are our single largest donor, or the Europeans, who are our largest multination donor, would give us aid in the generous way they do if they thought that aid would go to terrorists?" Gunness asked. And I'll bet he said it with a straight face too... |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #4 UNRWA people complains because Hamas has stolen their share. |
| Posted by: JFM 2009-02-06 18:28 |
| #3 somewhat mystifying why UNRWA would complain now for the past few years Hamas had been stealing the stuff but not quite as blatantly maybe, maybe, somebody in the Obama Admin said something (sure hope so) |
| Posted by: mhw 2009-02-06 16:18 |
| #2 Any bets the resultant "humanitarian crisis" will be blamed on Juice? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-02-06 15:58 |
| #1 Or, as Ma'an headlines... UN Secretary General calls for hams to return stolen aids to UNRWA I'm sure that misprint will at least get somebody shot in the foot... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-02-06 15:37 |