Only a fully functioning Karni Crossing can avert looming humanitarian ...

[Tom Joad]

crisis.
From Electronic Intifadah
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4581.shtml
See also http://www.un.org/unrwa/news/releases/pr-2006/hqg05-06.pdf PDF document.

Director of UNRWA

The Director of UNRWA operations in Gaza, Mr. John Ging, stated that he was "struggling to be optimistic" upon his return from a visit to the "reopened" Karni commercial crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning. He explained that "the situation on the streets of Gaza was worse than it had been the day before, as the half hour opening of Karni on Monday afternoon had absolutely no impact on the developing humanitarian crisis."

"I sincerely hope that today's opening of Karni is the beginning of a return to normality; for Gazans, this is the first rationing of bread in living memory", Ging said on Tuesday.

See more at link above...

UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

[Tom Joad]

1. BTW, there are ways you can help. First,

Call your congressperson and insist that this man-made disaster be ended by the full opening of the Karni Crossing.

Second, contribute aid directly.
Middle East Children's Alliance
http://www.mecaforpeace.org/Gaza%20Emergency.html

UNRWA
http://www.un.org/unrwa/emergency/donation/index.html

[Tom Joad]

2. Starving Gaza

Amid immense strains on Gaza's economy, officials continue to deal with significant security issues, writes Erica Silverman
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/787/re3.htm

The humanitarian crisis the Gaza Strip faced this week as supplies of grains, dairy products, baby formula, and other essential goods dwindled has been building for weeks. Karni, the only commercial crossing for imports and exports of goods to Gaza, opened for less than 40 minutes Monday afternoon after being sealed for nearly two months. About six trucks carrying flour and sugar, along with several containers of chips and coca-cola were allowed in, and then Israel again ordered the crossing shut.

.....
The Israeli Army claims the reason for Karni's closure is the suspected presence of tunnels dug by Palestinian militants leading to the crossing. It threatens to keep the crossing closed until the PA digs several trenches to intercept militant-dug tunnels. Palestinian security services have dug four trenches, totalling more than 1.5 kilometres in length around the crossing, in an effort to find these tunnels. So far, none have been found, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).