GAZA RECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE MUST ADDRESS KEY ISSUES

rekontruksi-AFP — Palestinian girls walk past buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes on their way to school in the Shujaiyeh neighborhood of Gaza City on September 14, 2014.(Photo:Ma’an/AFP/File Mahmud Hams)

Gaza, 26 Dzulqa’dah 1435/22 September 2014 (MINA) – An upcoming reconstruction conference on Gaza must address key issues such as an end to Israel’s occupation and accountability for the destruction caused by its’ recent military assault, The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations’ Network (PNGO) said, Monday.

“Israel must be held accountable through the ICC for its military crimes in Gaza and must pay reparations for damage caused to Gaza’s infrastructure and the huge loss of life,” said the PNGO, Ma’an News Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The PNGO said, reconstruction must go hand-in-hand with Palestinian self-determination and an end to occupation, and the donor community must hold Israel accountable for damage caused to internationally financed projects.

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“Freedom from occupation will solve many of the crises facing Palestinians today. The international community should support Palestinians in asserting their right to self-determination, not assist with temporary recovery while Palestinians wait for the next scheduled Israeli attack,” the group said.

The PNGO stressed that while there should be no constraints on access to construction materials, Israel must not be able to profit from the import and export of commodities to Gaza during the reconstruction process.

The reconstruction process should be undertaken across all sectors in Gaza to ensure a balanced response to the “widespread vulnerability” caused by Israeli assaults, and all sectors of society should be encouraged to participate in the process to ensure transparency and accountability.

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The July-August Israeli operation in Gaza killed at least 2,100 Palestinians, and the UN said it made some 100,000 people homeless in the long term.

The cost for full reconstruction of homes and infrastructure destroyed during the war is estimated at 7.8 billion US dollar by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction.(T/P008/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)