Israel sets stage to shut off power and water supplies to Gazans

Israel declared Gaza a "hostile entity" on Wednesday, and said it would limit supplies to the Hamas-run enclave, overshadowing US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's latest peace mission.

The decision by Israel's powerful Security Cabinet cleared the way for the government to shut off supplies of electricity and fuel to the impoverished, over-crowded, territory in response to frequent rocket attacks from Gaza.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas blasted Israel's decision Wednesday and said it would increase the suffering of its 1.5 million residents.

"This arbitrary decision will contribute to reinforcing the asphyxiating blockade that's hitting 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza and aggravate their suffering," said a spokesman for the Palestinian presidency.

"The decision of the Israeli government comes back to make the Palestinian people pay for acts they have nothing to do with and for which they do not carry any responsibility," the statement added.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Israel needed to respond to what she termed daily "terror attacks" on its soil from Gaza , as she explained the decision at a news conference with Rice.

"We made this decision according to our legal adviser, so it is according to international law," she claimed. "It is not going to affect the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip ... when it comes to the humanitarian needs we have our own responsibility, on the other hand all the needs that are more than humanitarian needs will not be supplied by Israel to Gaza."

An Israeli official said the Cabinet did not take any immediate decisions to turn off the taps to the crowded territory but that the move "clears the way for the government to do so."

The decision came as Rice met Israeli officials ahead of a one-on-one dinner with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on her sixth visit to the region this year to try to revive peace talks and lay the ground for a US-sponsored conference.

"We will not abandon the innocent Palestinians in Gaza and indeed will make every effort to deal with their humanitarian needs," Rice said.

"Hamas is indeed a hostile entity. It is a hostile entity to the US as well," Rice said at a news conference in Jerusalem.

Hamas, which is boycotted by Israel and the West as a terrorist group, slammed the decision as "collective punishment" for Palestinians in the territory, one of the world's most densely populated places.

"We completely reject this collective punishment," said Taher al-Nunu, spokesman for the self-declared government in Gaza, saying the administration was ready to keep to a "mutual cease-fire with Israel."

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said the move opened the door to "serious consequences in the form of incursions and assassinations in Gaza," adding: "The Israeli enemy is responsible for this serious escalation and for any massacre or stupidity that will be committed."

In one of his toughest statements aimed at Israel since taking the reins of the UN, Ban Ki-moon said he was "very concerned" at Israel's declaration "and its announced intent to interrupt essential services such as electricity and fuel to the civilian population."

"Such a step would be contrary to Israel's obligations toward the civilian population under international humanitarian and human-rights law," he said. "I call for Israel to reconsider this decision," Ban said in a statement read by UN spokeswoman Michele Montas.

Rice described her talks with Livni as "very good" and said the discussions had focused on deepening dialogue between the Israelis and Palestinians.

"It is my very strong view that Israel and the Palestinians are showing their good faith in the discussions that they're having. Discussions that are getting ever broader and deeper," she added.

The talks "have now spurred the two sides to create negotiating teams that are to try and memorialize those understandings so the creation of a Palestinian state can move forward."

Rice told journalists traveling with her that a planned peace conference "has to, in a substantive way, support" efforts to "lay the foundations for the negotiation of a Palestinian state as soon as possible."

"I think everybody expects it to be serious and substantive. I think everybody expects it to address critical issues and we do not expect anything less."

Rice said the purpose of her trip was to talk to both sides to try to "build on the momentum" established in a series of meetings between Olmert and Abbas.

However, Olmert on Sunday dampened expectations of a major breakthrough ahead of the peace meeting, saying Israel and the Palestinians are working on a joint declaration rather than an accord of principles.

Compiled by Daily Star staff
Thursday, September 20, 2007

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*FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Link to previous SEE article (including link explaining conflict between Fatah and Hamas): http://www.studenteducationalexchange.org/node/170

Link to previous SEE article outlining Hamas taking control in Gaza: http://www.studenteducationalexchange.org/node/140

*DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Do you think that Israel is right to limit supplies to Gaza due to recent terrorist attacks?

Should Palestinian citizens be responsible for terror attacks on Israel?

Does the fact that the majority of Palestinians chose Hamas to lead the country in the last election turn the acts of terrorism into a more serious matter?

REMEMBER TO BE RESPECTFUL ******************************************************************

The Daily Star (Lebanon)