| UK breaks silence over Israel's fuel cuts to Gaza |
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| Saturday, 12 January 2008 | |
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"The resulting power cuts had left vital infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, water and sewage systems, as well as households, reliant on backup generators," Foreign Secretary David Miliband and International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said. "This further aggravated the already difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza," the two cabinet ministers said in a written joint statement. Reports have indicated that the Gaza Power Station had cut electricity production by 30 per cent because the reductions in industrial diesel supplies since October have left reserves near exhaustion. The criticism comes after the British government also broke its silence over continuing Israeli raids into Gaza since the signing of the Annapolis agreement in the US in November, while chastising the latest killings of Palestinian civilians. "The deaths and injury of a number of Palestinian civilians as a result of recent Israeli military incursions into Gaza risks undermining efforts to build confidence and give momentum to the peace process following Annapolis," Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells warned. Israel's reduction of fuel supplies comes after its security cabinet voted to declare the Gaza a 'hostile territory', in September. It also plans to start reducing electricity supplies to Gaza but is facing an appeal before the Supreme Court. The supply of clean drinking water and sewerage systems in Gaza also rely on electricity, with cuts expected due to Israel's tactics. Miliband and Alexander said that they continue to be "deeply concerned by the growing humanitarian impact of restrictions" on industrial diesel supplies to Gaza, particularly on the most vulnerable sections of the population. While saying they welcomed Israel's recent decision to increase the supply of industrial diesel, they said they were continuing to urge them to lift all restrictions on fuel with immediate effect.    Readers have left 4 comments.
chrimble:
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This report is a complete homolgation of two seprate statements by Kim Howells on the 5th January and Milliband on the 11th January.
Hence the British Government did NOT 'break its silence on Friday" Next, both reports actually condemned the Palestinians, but I guess lack of space prevented you from reporting. Milliband statement 11th January:- "We welcome Israel's recent decision to increase the supply of industrial diesel and continue to urge them to lift all restrictions on fuel with immediate effect. "We utterly condemn the rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel. We support all efforts to stop these attacks consistent with obligations under international law." Kim Howells statement on the 5th January said:- Britain has accused Israel of undermining Middle East peace efforts after its troops launched a night mission into the Gaza Strip, killing two Palestinians in retaliation for rocket attacks. British Foreign Office minister Kim Howells also made the same charge against Palestinian militants for firing rockets into Israel. The latest rocket attack saw the Israelis hit back on Thursday with airstrikes and ground operations that killed nine people, including three civilians. The Israeli operations continued when infantrymen inside Gaza, near the Israeli border, clashed with Hamas gunmen and killed two of them, according to Hamas and Palestinian medical officials. Mr Howells said: "The deaths and injury of a number of Palestinian civilians as a result of recent Israeli military incursions into Gaza risks undermining efforts to build confidence and give momentum to the peace process. "So does the continuing firing of rockets by Palestinian militants into Israeli populated areas. Our thoughts are with the families of all the victims of this violence." So, he centered on Palestinian Terrorists firing rockets and Israel's right to retaliate. You have been caught-out being economical with the truth - as I discovered by reading another website on the Internet. It does you discredit to hide the statements and actual context that centered on Palestinians firing rockets from Gaza.
(1)
2008-01-12 14:04:33
Paul M:
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The Palestinians are free to elect a government which declares its aim is to destroy Israel. They are free to lob everything and anything they can at Israel. But Israel must continue to provide them with electricity.
What happens when one of their missiles hits the power plant in Ashkelon?
(2)
2008-01-12 19:11:12
Joe Smith:
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fact of the matter, British Government supports Zionist Extremist! Until we the civilised people kick out these Racist Zionist Extremist in the Next Election and demand the that Palestine as whole should be free!
(3)
2008-01-12 22:52:45
chrimble:
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fact of the matter, British Government supports Zionist Extremist! Until we the civilised people kick out these Racist Zionist Extremist in the Next Election and demand the that Palestine as whole should be free! — Joe SmithYou are right of course. Let's kick out these Labour "Zionists" and voye in the Conservative "Zionists" instead. We will have to do a bit more though. We need to overthrow the USA, Canada, France, Germany and Australia "Zionists". Any idea how to do that? Interesting that the report shows how the UK is telling the "Zionists" off and you read this as supporting them. Is there something wrong with the MPAC report?
(4)
2008-01-13 09:57:50
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UK-Israel Fuel Cuts 
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