UN in shock

Since mid '07, the suffering has been chiefly concentrated in Gaza as Israel and its allies across the Atlantic continue to choke ordinary Palestinians in their drive to punish Hamas.

It was about time some UN representative expressed “shock” after visiting the Strip in person and taking note of the on-ground yield of Israel's policy of sealing off its borders and cutting aid inflow. And since 80 per cent of Gaza's 1.5 million people depend on foreign aid thanks to the economic collapse that followed US and EU's moratorium, and foreign aid supplies have fallen to 10 per cent year-on-year, UN Undersecretary General John Holmes' anguish is very understandable indeed.

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However, much more important that what Mr Holmes will take back to the UN is what the organisation is prepared to do to counter the painful downside. The envoy has already made it pretty clear that opening up the border crossings and allowing “a lot more goods coming in” is urgently needed. Perhaps the UN can fathom before the US, EU and Israel what is obvious – Hamas is not going to cave in to this sort of pressure, or it would have by now.

The recent border breach that prompted thousands to cross into Egypt for much needed food, fuel and medical supplies made the Gazan emergency clear to all. Rather than quickly and conveniently let the episode pass into the dustbin of history, it should be leveraged to highlight the most pressing point of present day Palestine. At the risk of repetition, it is pointed out that the territories are facing a humanitarian catastrophe, their worst situation in the long decades of the occupation.

Till now, the West is only open to pass favour to those not under Hamas control. They have not realised yet that even if the people did not want Hamas in Gaza (which begs proof, however justifiable), it is blatantly cruel to ask a people struggling for food to topple the administrative structure.The UN is bound by its mandate to take immediate and strong action on the Palestinian question, even if that means upsetting some of its most crucial members. The West, too, must realise that the more it dwindles on the Middle East's most pressing problem, the more it will lose face and create more bitter and frustrated enemies in the long run.