ISRAEL CRITICIZES GAZA RECONTRUCTION CONFERENCE

Seated at the dais from left, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, and Norway’s Foreign Minister Borge Brende, in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014, during the Gaza Donor Conference (Photo: AP)

Cairo, 19 Dhulhijja 1435/12 October 2014 (MINA) – Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman criticized not inviting Tel Aviv to the conference during an interview with Ynetnews hours before the conference began.

“You can’t reconstruct Gaza without Israeli participation and without Israeli cooperation. The equipment goes through our border passes, so it’s clear to everyone that you cannot move forward without Israeli cooperation,” Lieberman said.

He added that Tel Aviv would “try to be positive about the civil infrastructure and the rehabilitation of civilians” in Gaza, Ahram online quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

An international conference on the reconstruction of Gaza opened in Cairo on Sunday.

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The conference aims to generate donations for the reconstruction of the coastal enclave following an Israeli bombardment in July and August. The assault killed nearly 2,200 Palestinians and injured more than 12,000 others. Much the enclave’s infrastructure and buildings were destroyed.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the destruction caused by the latest Israeli offensive was unbearable and that Israel should be held accountable. He asked the international community to prevent Israel from launching any new attack on the enclave.

“According to a plan prepared by the Palestinian government, reconstruction operations require $4 billion. The unity government will work on implementing the plan with the United Nations and civil society organisations,” Abbas added.

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The Gaza Strip has been subject to three wars within the past six years. They have claimed 3,760 lives, 2,145 of which were in the latest offensive. The number of people injured was 18,100.

Around 100,000 housing units were destroyed or damaged to varying degrees. Of those, about 20,000 homes were destroyed or severely damaged in the most recent offensive. More than 100,000 people are still displaced, with about 57,000 living in communal shelters.(T/R04/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)