Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Marcus's write up on the Gaza Strip
Conflict in the Gaza Strip
International development assistance CHALLENGE or FAILURE due to location or exclusion
The Gaza Strip is a country which borders on Israel and Egypt. It’s a really small country with a population of about 1.6 million people. Most of which are refugees who fled during the Arab-Israeli war.
An organisation known as Hamas currently rules the Gaza Strip. They are a political organisation with a paramilitary wing that often takes a violent approach to solving its problems.
One of the biggest problems that the Gaza Strip faces is isolation. It’s bordered by Egypt and Israel and both are enemies. Hamas has had disputes and short, intense fighting with Israel and this leads to them not wanting to make peace with each other. Aid arriving from the sea has also been stopped by Israel. Recently there was a case of a raid on the aid arriving in Gaza which resulted in 9 activists being killed.
Another problem faced by the Gaza Strip is their government. Hamas is labelled as a terrorist organisation by the west and hence, little or no aid is provided to them.
The only railway that connects the entire Gaza Strip to Israel has been abandoned and is dysfunctional. Without it, aid cannot be distributed fast. To make matters worse, the airspace of the Gaza Strip is controlled by Israel hence preventing aid from being airdropped.
One recommendation to improve the condition of the Gaza Strip would be to have the United Nations step in to provide security. There is no use in providing aid if you can’t keep it. Making the country sustain itself is another option too. By developing irrigation methods and tools, the Strip will be able to produce their own food.
Having peace talks and a ceasefire with Israel will also be beneficial in developing the Gaza Strip. Finding out the reasons behind Israel’s attacks and boycotts on the Strip will be a step forward in finding a solution to solving the isolation of the country.
Marcus
We Loved10:32 PM
April 2008 past