UN Palestinian Agency Slams Israel for Siege Against PalestiniansThe UN Palestinian relief agency on Saturday accused Israel of imposing siege against the Palestinians, saying that the arbitrary practices have violated the international law.Peter Hansen, commissioner-general of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), made the accusation at a news conference held here, Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported. Hansen warned that a humanitarian catastrophe will take place in the Palestinian self-rule areas if Israel continues its policy of blockade and aggressions against the unarmed Palestinians. The Palestinian agriculture sector has been "sharply worsened" during the past six months following Israel's plans to uproot trees, destroy citrus orchards and other crops under allegations of ensuring security for Jewish settlers, the UN official said. He said that he would meet with Arab foreign ministers in Cairo on Monday to review the worsening conditions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, adding that U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan was exerting intensive diplomatic efforts to find a political solution to the humanitarian issue. Israel has imposed a military blockade on the Palestinian territories since the beginning of the Palestinian uprising against Israeli aggressions last September. Hansen said that the UNRWA has called for 39 million U.S. dollars of emergency food and medicine aid for the Palestinians, and the appeal was receiving response from the world community. |
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