Letter to the Canadian Government by Karin Brothers
Dear Prime Minister, Minister Bibeau and Members of Parliament:
Canadian support for this 10-year genocidal blockade of food, medical and building supplies -- not to mention putting the democratically-elected Hamas government on its "terror entity" list, will be marks of shame until your government starts to redress its wrongs, which include reneging on its assurance to the United Nations that it would restore its contributions to the UNRWA.
The Canadian refusal to provide aid is profoundly discouraging to Canadians who thought that the new Liberal government would improve Canadian respect for international laws and obligations.
K. Brothers, Toronto
(See OpEd below)
Dear Prime Minister, Minister Bibeau and Members of Parliament:
Canadian support for this 10-year genocidal blockade of food, medical and building supplies -- not to mention putting the democratically-elected Hamas government on its "terror entity" list, will be marks of shame until your government starts to redress its wrongs, which include reneging on its assurance to the United Nations that it would restore its contributions to the UNRWA.
The Canadian refusal to provide aid is profoundly discouraging to Canadians who thought that the new Liberal government would improve Canadian respect for international laws and obligations.
K. Brothers, Toronto
(See OpEd below)
UNRWA Gaza Situation Report 167 - October 27, 2016
The Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza, Mr. Bo Schack, has written an opinion piece widely picked up by local (link is external) and regional (link is external) media. The op-ed reflects on the blockade of the coastal territory now entering its tenth year. Mr. Schack starts with a quote from 36-year-old Ali, who works as a waiter in one of the coffee shops in Gaza city. Ali was born in Gaza and for almost ten years he has been living under a tight blockade on air, land and sea. “I have survived the past three wars, but that is not the problem. In this place, wars come and go. The bigger struggle is not to lose hope. The only way I can do that is to retreat, and create my own world, and become oblivious,” Ali told Mr. Schack, who notes that the blockade keeps Ali and the rest of the 1.8 million people of Gaza isolated and locked into a tin y 365 square kilometres- enclave - the Gaza Strip has one of the highest population densities in the world - tormented by extreme poverty and dilapidated by repeated conflicts. Mr. Schack also talked about the impact of the blockade on the people of Gaza during a press conference held in Gaza city in the previous week, emphasizing how the severe restrictions lead to more frustration, pessimism and, possibly, radicalization. A video of the event can be viewed here. (link is external)
The Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza, Mr. Bo Schack, has written an opinion piece widely picked up by local (link is external) and regional (link is external) media. The op-ed reflects on the blockade of the coastal territory now entering its tenth year. Mr. Schack starts with a quote from 36-year-old Ali, who works as a waiter in one of the coffee shops in Gaza city. Ali was born in Gaza and for almost ten years he has been living under a tight blockade on air, land and sea. “I have survived the past three wars, but that is not the problem. In this place, wars come and go. The bigger struggle is not to lose hope. The only way I can do that is to retreat, and create my own world, and become oblivious,” Ali told Mr. Schack, who notes that the blockade keeps Ali and the rest of the 1.8 million people of Gaza isolated and locked into a tin y 365 square kilometres- enclave - the Gaza Strip has one of the highest population densities in the world - tormented by extreme poverty and dilapidated by repeated conflicts. Mr. Schack also talked about the impact of the blockade on the people of Gaza during a press conference held in Gaza city in the previous week, emphasizing how the severe restrictions lead to more frustration, pessimism and, possibly, radicalization. A video of the event can be viewed here. (link is external)
Op Ed by Bo Schack, Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza
“I have survived the past three wars, but that is not the problem. In this place, wars come and go. The bigger struggle is not to lose hope. The only way I can do that is to retreat, and create my own world, and become oblivious.” This was told to me by 36-year old Ali, who works as a waiter in one of the coffee shops in Gaza city.
Ali was born in Gaza and for almost ten years has been living under a tight blockade on air, land and sea, entering its tenth year in June 2016. The blockade keeps him and the rest of the 1.8 million people of Gaza isolated and locked into a tiny 365 square kilometres-enclave - the Gaza Strip has one of the highest population densities in the world - tormented by extreme poverty and dilapidated by repeated conflicts.
Chronic fuel and electricity shortages, with power cuts between 18 and 22 hours per day, extreme water pollution - 95 per cent of the Gaza groundwater is undrinkable - and devastated infrastructure, as a dire reminder of repeated cycles of armed violence, are the daily reality. Gaza’s people are denied a human standard of living. This was not always the case: before the imposition of restrictions on movements of people and goods, the Gaza Strip was a relatively developed society with a productive base and a thriving economy.
“I have survived the past three wars, but that is not the problem. In this place, wars come and go. The bigger struggle is not to lose hope. The only way I can do that is to retreat, and create my own world, and become oblivious.” This was told to me by 36-year old Ali, who works as a waiter in one of the coffee shops in Gaza city.
Ali was born in Gaza and for almost ten years has been living under a tight blockade on air, land and sea, entering its tenth year in June 2016. The blockade keeps him and the rest of the 1.8 million people of Gaza isolated and locked into a tiny 365 square kilometres-enclave - the Gaza Strip has one of the highest population densities in the world - tormented by extreme poverty and dilapidated by repeated conflicts.
Chronic fuel and electricity shortages, with power cuts between 18 and 22 hours per day, extreme water pollution - 95 per cent of the Gaza groundwater is undrinkable - and devastated infrastructure, as a dire reminder of repeated cycles of armed violence, are the daily reality. Gaza’s people are denied a human standard of living. This was not always the case: before the imposition of restrictions on movements of people and goods, the Gaza Strip was a relatively developed society with a productive base and a thriving economy.
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