QATARI OFFICIAL PUSHES DONORS TO MEET GAZA AID PLEDGES

**Qatari Ambassador Mohamed al-Imadi on Saturday urged the donor countries to meet their Gaza reconstruction pledges.** (Photo:PIC)

Gaza, 24 Jumadil Awwal 1436/15 Maret 2015 (MINA) – Qatari Ambassador Mohamed Al-Imadi on Saturday urged the donor countries to meet their Gaza reconstruction pledges.

Al-Imadi, the head of the Qatari committee for the reconstruction of Gaza, said in an interview with the Anadolu news agency that several counties broke their promises to assist the Gaza reconstruction process, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

He pointed out the ongoing Qatari and international initiatives to boost up the reconstruction process, citing the 10-million-dollar batch donated by Washington and other aids pledged by European and Arab states to that very end.

Earlier, some 2.6 billion dollars had been pledged for the reconstruction of Gaza in the Cairo donor conference.

The Qatari official said the Qatari government has been up to all the promises it has made, adding: “This is not a favor to Gaza. This is a national and religious duty. This is the least we can do. Much is still needed by Gaza.”

Al-Imadi, who arrived in Gaza via the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing on Monday afternoon, spoke out against Egypt’s closure of the Rafah crossing.

Coordination has been underway with the Palestinian and Israeli sides to allow raw materials and building kit access into the Strip so as to press ahead with the launch of the Qatari-backed reconstruction projects, including the 1,000 housing units funded by the one billion dollar grant pledged by Qatar in the Cairo conference, he added.

Al-Imadi announced his intents to pop in the West Bank on Wednesday and meet representatives from the Palestinian Authority over possible aid mechanisms.

He further vowed that Qatar will work on finding a way out of the power crisis rocking the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Over 28,366 housing units sustained partial or total damage in Israel’s 51-day offensive launched on Gaza last summer that killed some 2,200 Palestinians.(T/P008/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)