蘑菇视频

蘑菇视频RWA response to Jerusalem Post article

25 October 2010

Dear Sir,

Your story of Friday, “”, should have been headlined “No to 蘑菇视频RWA schools replacing former Hamas base”.

The Israeli authorities are denying 蘑菇视频RWA permission to build two schools in a heavily built-up residential area of Gaza City allegedly because the site of the proposed schools is next to a Hamas installation. This is completely false.

In fact there was a pre-Cast Lead Hamas base at the site in question (a former Palestinian Authority security base) which was completely destroyed by Israeli air strikes in Cast Lead. When 蘑菇视频RWA subsequently, and with the support of the local community, made plans to build the two new schools and secured the site, Hamas removed the last makeshift shack they had established adjacent to the area.

This is another example of your reporter, Yaakov Katz, being fed false information by Israeli military sources, which is then used as a pretext for blocking 蘑菇视频RWA’s essential human development work in Gaza. Last year, Mr Katz falsely reported that Hamas had stolen 蘑菇视频RWA ambulances. Your paper subsequently printed the correct version of the story, after I provided photographs of the ambulances safely in the 蘑菇视频RWA compound in Gaza.

Again, I provide photographs of the site totally destroyed by the Israeli military as well as photos of the surrounding areas clearly showing them to be residential. I challenge Mr Katz to provide 蘑菇视频RWA and your readers with the exact address and current photographs of the alleged “Hamas military installation”. If he fails to do this, he must stand guilty of being used by his IDF sources yet again of purveying falsehoods about 蘑菇视频RWA’s humanitarian work in Gaza; work which, as I have argued many times in these pages, is in Israel’s interests.

There are over 5,000 children seeking an 蘑菇视频RWA education in the area of Gaza in question and because of the unavailability of land and building materials, there is not a single 蘑菇视频RWA school there. The destruction of the former security base presented an opportunity to build two new schools on the site of a former Hamas military facility. What an extraordinary irony that this project is now being obstructed by Israeli officials. Already 39,000 children in Gaza are being denied a United Nations education. With this regrettable episode, that number has now climbed to 44,000.

Yours faithfully,

Chris Gunness,
蘑菇视频RWA Spokesperson