UN official voices deep concern as Hamas raids offices of aid groups

[Ian David]

3 June 2010 – A senior United Nations official in the Middle East today expressed deep concern at reports that Hamas has broken into the offices of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the Gaza Strip this week, confiscated materials and equipment, and forced the offices to shut down.

Robert Serry, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said in a statement issued in Jerusalem that reports indicated Hamas had broken into NGO offices in both Gaza City and Rafah.

“This targeting of NGOs, including UN partner organizations, is unacceptable, violating accepted norms of a free society and harming the Palestinian people,” he said.

“The de facto authorities must cease such repressive steps and allow the re-opening of these civil society institutions without delay.”

Hamas, which does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, took control of Gaza in 2007 after it ousted the Fatah movement. About 1.5 million Palestinians live in the area, which has been blockaded by Israel for the past three years.

More:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34903&Cr=palestin&Cr1=

See also:

Breaking: Hamas turns away humanitarian aid delivered today:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=316837&mesg_id=316837

[snappyturtle]

1. Well, this doesn't help. Do you suppose Hamas is saying by their

actions that they want to get their supplies and run their economy like most nations do? I'm not a big fan of Hamas but I can see how they came to be and that they do dumb stuff just as the Israelis do too. It's so frustrating to me.

[Ian David]

3. I have no idea. n/t

[Ian David]

8. If people get too much aid, they won't be mad enough at the Israelis. n/t

[UndertheOcean]

2. The chaps running things in Gaza seem to be even less bright than the Israeli Government .

????

[davidinalameda]

4. thanks for posting this

I hope it gets a very wide distribution

[azurnoir]

6. A question is Hamas refusing

to let all aid in or only that from the flotilla?

[damntexdem]

5. Two sets of pirates loose in the Gaza area:

Hamas and the IDF.

[azurnoir]

7. More from the UN spokesman mentioned in the OP Robert Serry

UN Envoy to Peres: No Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

United Nations Middle East envoy Robert Serry, who met with President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem on Wednesday, said, “There is no humanitarian problem in Gaza.”

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/136180

guess Serry wears the white hat for some here