Global News Post: Humanitarian Aid

Friends of Syria Group ‘Encourages Extremists’ - Moscow

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<st1:city w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MOSCOW</span></span></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti) -
A resolution adopted by the Friends of Syria Group in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city></st1:place> on Thursday encourages extremists there to
seize power by force, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich
said on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">US, EU and Arab
officials who met in Rome on Thursday pledged more assistance to the Syrian
opposition fighting against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, recognizing the
National Coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“There is a
general understanding within the international community that there is no
military solution to the Syrian crisis,” Lukashevich said in a statement posted
on the ministry’s website.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Meanwhile,
judging by incoming reports, the decisions made in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city></st1:place>, as well as the statements that were
made there, both in letter and in spirit encourage extremists to seize power by
force, regardless of the inevitable suffering of ordinary Syrians.” He did not
elaborate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city></st1:place> statement praised the
opposition National Coalition for its reform efforts, urged Assad's regime to
end “indiscriminate bombardments against populated areas,” and deplored “the
unabated arms supply to the regime by third countries.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place>
pledged $60 million in “non-lethal” assistance for the Syrian political
opposition.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Secretary of
State John Kerry said on Thursday the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> would send the Syrian opposition
an additional $60 million in non-lethal aid, but still refuses to supply the
weapons and sophisticated military supplies the rebels have said they need.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday <st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city>’s
position on <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>
stems from its concern for the Syrian people, and not the fate of President
Bashar al-Assad.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> has called for Assad to step down,
but <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region>
says it is concerned that the Syrian president’s forced departure would make
the conflict worse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Russian Deputy
Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said last Tuesday foreign military supplies to
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
armed opposition have been growing. He reiterated <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region>’s
official position that <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:city>
will not carry out fresh arms deliveries to the Syrian government, but is only
supplying arms and military equipment under contracts signed before the civil
war, which has claimed some 70,000 lives according to the latest UN estimates.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Last Monday,
Lavrov denied <st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city> had tried to smuggle arms
components into <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region> via <st1:country-region w:st="on">Finland</st1:country-region>, and said there are no Russian troops in
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>
apart from several dozen technical staff at the Tartus naval support facility. <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region>’s state-run arms dealer Rosoboronexport
said on Wednesday it is supplying air-defense missile systems and maintenance
and servicing equipment to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
but not combat aircraft. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Friends of Syria Group ‘Encourages Extremists’ - Moscow

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - A resolution adopted by the Friends of Syria Group in Rome on Thursday encourages extremists there to seize po...

Syria under Pressure to Grant Wider Humanitarian Accessl

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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">  </span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">GENEVA, UNITED NATIONS (NNN-XINHUA) - The Syrian government was put under further pressure yesterday by the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to allow wider access for humanitarian aid.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Meanwhile, Kofi Annan, the newly appointed special envoy for Syria on behalf of the United Nations and the Arab League (AL), said yesterday he had reached consensus with UN chief Ban Ki-moon and the five permanent members of the Security Council that a mediation process including all political factions in Syria should start as soon as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Annan will begin his mission on March 7 with a visit to the AL headquarters in Cairo, AL chief Nabil al-Arabi said yesterday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Annan is seeking a visit to Syria, and will also travel to other countries affecting the Syrian crisis in a bid to find a solution, said al-Arabi.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">At a meeting yesterday in Geneva, the UNHRC adopted a resolution which condemns "the continued widespread and systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The resolution, voted 37-3 in favour with three abstentions, held the Assad government as the primary cause of Syria's ongoing crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Russia, China and Cuba voted against the resolution, saying the resolution, which only lopsidedly condemned the authorities, would only fuel fresh violence in the turbulent country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span dir="LTR"></span>"Russia believes the resolution does not send constructive signals that are necessary for launching a process of political and diplomatic settlement, nor a call to all sides to stop violence and join the national dialogue," said the Russian foreign ministry in a statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the debate before the voting, China also stressed its stance on the issue, saying both the government and all political parties of Syria must end violence immediately before starting a political dialogue to end the months-long crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Syrian government reported that at least 2,000 security personnel had been killed by rebel forces since the unrest started last March, and the United Nations estimated that over 6,000 people have died in total.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The UN Security Council released a statement also yesterday, calling on the Syrian government to allow "immediate, full and unimpeded" humanitarian access to its country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the statement delivered by British ambassador to the UN Mark Lyall Grant, the 15-member council expressed its "deep disappointment" that Valerie Amos, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, was not authorised to visit Syria and called on the authorities to grant her "immediate and unhindered access."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amos has been attempting to visit Syria at the request of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to evaluate the humanitarian situation there, but was denied entry by the Syrian government.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But a Syrian foreign ministry spokesman said yesterday that his country was ready to consult with Amos to set a new date for her visit.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Syria is "ready to continue consultations with Amos over the suitable date for both sides," said the spokesman.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In a statement yesterday, the UN Security Council also deplored "the rapidly deteriorating" humanitarian situation, in particular the growing number of affected civilians, the lack of safe access to adequate medical services and food shortages in the most turbulent regions, including the central city of Homs and northern province of Idlib.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Although a Security Council resolution on Syria was vetoed last month, some diplomats in the council said yesterday that they are pushing for a possible new legal-binding resolution that may serve as a solution to the conflict.--NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Syria under Pressure to Grant Wider Humanitarian Accessl

GENEVA, UNITED NATIONS (NNN-XINHUA) - The Syrian government was put under further pressure yesterday by the UN Security Council and the ...

British MPs QUESTION Aid to 'Prosperous' India, But PM Cameron to Continue

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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">LONDON  (NNN-AGENCIES) -- Brushing aside demands for halting Britain's financial assistance to India, Prime Minister David Cameron's government will continue to provide aid but will now change its approach and focus on the three poorest states, a top official has said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We have reviewed our aid commitments to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. We continue to think it is right to stick to those aid commitments. We continue to provide aid to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, but we focus it on the three poorest states," Cameron's spokesman said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">His comments came amidst a row sparked by some ruling Conservative MPs demanding an end to aid, and reports that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> did not need it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The reason we are doing that is because a huge number of the poorest people in the world live in these states. The government has always been very clear about sticking to its aid commitments and the fact that it would not balance the books on the backs of the poorest people in the world. It is going to stick to that," the spokesman said without identifying the three states.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">International aid is among few areas that have not been subjected to deep funding cuts by the economically-strapped Cameron government, which has faced much ridicule and more for continuing to send aid to an increasingly prosperous <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Britain</span></st1:country-region><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> currently gives 280 million pounds annually to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, totalling 1.4 billion pounds between now and 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">International Development secretary Andrew Mitchell had defended the aid, saying: "We will not be in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> for ever but now is not the time to quit. Our completely revamped programme is in <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>'s and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s national interest and is a small part of a much wider relationship between our two countries".<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He, however, added: "We are changing our approach to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. We will target aid at three of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s poorest states, rather than central government." -- NNN-AGENCIES<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

British MPs QUESTION Aid to 'Prosperous' India, But PM Cameron to Continue

LONDON (NNN-AGENCIES) -- Brushing aside demands for halting Britain's financial assistance to India, Prime Minister David Cameron...

AID POLICY: Islamic agencies battle the odds in Gaza

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGig-aaxCr6nKxQqN931xsuYAwCMIqoj-K_9TdeX896A5GZlZTxkAVVEyPUoLtDpqelB67RhIoWIkd4wfCxAuvG46XgfJW8U8to5XE1TMWT-mpvKh_6_G0UCafQcqARsFFNQgYHmqktfQ/s1600/201111020807410032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGig-aaxCr6nKxQqN931xsuYAwCMIqoj-K_9TdeX896A5GZlZTxkAVVEyPUoLtDpqelB67RhIoWIkd4wfCxAuvG46XgfJW8U8to5XE1TMWT-mpvKh_6_G0UCafQcqARsFFNQgYHmqktfQ/s400/201111020807410032.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Photo: <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/photo/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Erica Silverman/IRIN</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Homes destroyed during Israel's Operation Cast Lead<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">have been reconstructed by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Turkey</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">GAZA CITY (IRIN) - Secours Islamique France is a respected aid agency, part of the global Islamic Relief network based in the UK, but when it comes to helping Palestinians in Gaza, its operations are challenged by both Israeli bureaucracy and its own “no-contact” policy with the Hamas officials who control the territory.<br />
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Hamas is branded a “terror” organization by most western countries, despite their victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative council elections. That requires Secours Islamique <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region>, and all other international charities working in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gaza</st1:place></st1:city>, to tread extremely carefully to avoid falling foul of anti-terror legislation.<br />
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<st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region> rules, specifically their definition of providing support to terrorism, are the most stringent, according to a paper on Counter-terrorism and Humanitarian Action by the Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG), part of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s Overseas Development Institute. “In the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>, no knowledge or intention to support terrorism per se is required [for criminal responsibility] if support is knowingly provided to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization,” says the report.<br />
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In the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region></st1:place>, “having reasonable cause to suspect” that support will contribute to terrorist activity is enough to attract criminal responsibility. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
This notion of "support" under US and UK anti-terror legislation means that, for example, when Secours Islamique France distributes milk and fortified biscuits daily to 10,000 pre-school children in Gaza, the INGO must only deal directly with the schools, to avoid any contact with the Education Ministry.<br />
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The Israeli blockade of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city></st1:place>, tightened after Hamas seized power in 2007, is an additional impediment to INGOs operating in the territory, increasing costs and affecting project oversight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
In terms of access by international staff, Secours Islamique <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region> has repeatedly applied for permission to enter <st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city> via <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>, but is refused each time, according to country director Adel Kaddum. The group is still awaiting the verdict on its 2010 request to officially register as an INGO in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place>; Islamic Relief UK, which delivers aid in 25 countries, applied several years ago but has yet to be approved.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
While all INGOs operating in <st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city> face similar frustrations, an aid worker, who asked not to be identified, said <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s objection to assistance reaching Hamas was sharpened by “Islamophobia” when that aid was delivered by Muslim charities.<br />
<br />
At the practical level, Islamic INGOs face greater movement and access restrictions than other agencies because some are banned by the Israeli authorities, according to Ahmed Shurrab, including his own agency, Interpal.<br />
<br />
But the restrictions are not insurmountable. “<st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region> has denied requests for permits for humanitarian staff to enter <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gaza</st1:place></st1:city>, but with the Rafah crossing [along the Gaza-Egypt border] functioning better, we [expect] international staff may be able to enter,” Muslim Hands International director Saed Salah told IRIN.<br />
<br />
Financing, however, can be a problem, with <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region> anti-terrorism legislation complicating transfers to NGOs operating in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city></st1:place>. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), under the US Treasury Department, administers and enforces economic sanctions against countries, groups and individuals deemed a threat.<br />
<br />
“Banks are very sensitive, particularly in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city></st1:place>, and even if an entity is not marked by OFAC, it can still be assessed as a risk,” says the governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority, Jihad Al-Wazir.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
<b>Blacklisted </b><br />
<br />
Interpal was defined as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" that aids Hamas and was blacklisted by OFAC in 2003.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
“Due to the banks being threatened by the US that they will lose their US operating licence if they deal with ‘terrorists’, we do not have full and open banking facilities,” Interpal’s Gaza field office manager, Mahmoud Lubbad, told IRIN. “That makes life difficult, but not impossible.”<br />
<br />
Interpal’s <st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region> headquarters are able to make Euro-denominated transfers directly to its implementing partners in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="right" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #aabbdc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(51, 102, 153); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(51, 102, 153); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: rgb(51, 102, 153); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: rgb(51, 102, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1pt; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt; margin-top: -0.75pt; width: 190px;"><tbody>
<tr>   <td style="border: none; padding: 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt;">   <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 8.25pt; mso-element-frame-vspace: 1.5pt; mso-element-left: right; mso-element-top: middle; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: justify;"><img align="left" alt="''" height="18" src="file:///C:/Users/wisdom/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image001.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_s1026" width="23" /><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><b>Ten new Islamic agencies have opened   offices in <st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city> since <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>’s large-scale military operation in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city></st1:place> – Operation Cast   Lead - ended in January 2009</b><img align="absMiddle" alt="''" border="0" height="18" src="file:///C:/Users/wisdom/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image002.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_i1025" width="23" /><o:p></o:p></span></div></td>  </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region>’s Charity Commission has launched two investigations into Interpal, and on both occasions concluded that the evidence did not substantiate (p.14) <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Washington</st1:place></st1:state>’s claim that the organization was linked to political or militant activities.<br />
<br />
In an out-of-court settlement in 2005 the Board of Deputies of British Jews, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Britain</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s leading Jewish organization, said it should not have described Interpal as a “terrorist organization”, in response to a libel suit filed by Interpal against the Board. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
“We believe it was a political decision made at the request of the Israeli Foreign Ministry,” said Lubbad. “There was no due process, no investigation beforehand (and despite subsequent open invitations for the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> government to send investigators to look us over, they have never been taken up) and it is a costly exercise to even request to be removed from the ‘terrorist’ list.”<br />
<br />
<b>Numbers increasing<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
<br />
However, despite the movement and access restrictions on humanitarian staff and supplies, and obstacles to the transfer of funds into <st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city>, the number of Islamic INGOs working with the vulnerable in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gaza</st1:place></st1:city> is actually increasing.<br />
<br />
Ten new Islamic agencies have opened offices in <st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city> since <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>’s large-scale military operation in <st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city> – Operation Cast Lead - ended in January 2009, bringing the total to 24, according to Ayman Ayeish, information director of the Hamas-led Interior Ministry in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gaza</st1:place></st1:city>. A total of 75 INGOs, and about 900 local NGOs, maintain offices in the territory. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
Islamic aid groups based in Europe are noticeably more active than their counterparts from the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place>, a reflection of the different history and demographic of the two communities.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
“The Muslim community in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> works in local politics and has representation in Parliament, giving them more influence over policy,” said Muslim Hands director Saleh. “Most Muslims living in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> are more recent immigrants and less integrated into the community?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
According to an American-Muslim aid worker in <st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city>: “The relationship between the <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> discourages US-based Islamic INGOs from delivering aid to the OPT... They may choose other areas to help people, due to the political sensitivities of the OPT, and the poor track record of receiving Israeli permits.”<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

AID POLICY: Islamic agencies battle the odds in Gaza

Photo: Erica Silverman/IRIN Homes destroyed during Israel's Operation Cast Lead have been reconstructed by Turkey 's Humanitari...

Donors give nearly $375 million to UN emergency relief fund

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnL4TP-YwQz9Y3Opj_HqdN-SGZ-WdBD4zTNiTaXXZrRE_-wUOLOgL2agChqEbvAzeeL0X3Hzfrn25j_V9F-EdSPCT0VwWF6S1WLsVdqWZhBStRdGiIXRZDErGPUu9r7Ji5XrFHKkeFnDc/s1600/bankimoonemergencyfund.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnL4TP-YwQz9Y3Opj_HqdN-SGZ-WdBD4zTNiTaXXZrRE_-wUOLOgL2agChqEbvAzeeL0X3Hzfrn25j_V9F-EdSPCT0VwWF6S1WLsVdqWZhBStRdGiIXRZDErGPUu9r7Ji5XrFHKkeFnDc/s400/bankimoonemergencyfund.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="phtocaption" style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 2.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.5pt;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) and Emergency Relief Coordinator<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="phtocaption" style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 2.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.5pt;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Valerie Amos at the annual high-level conference on the<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="phtocaption" style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 2.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.5pt;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Central Emergency Response Fund Photo © UN News</span></i></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Donors</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: -webkit-auto;">pledged</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: -webkit-auto;">nearly $375 million today to the United Nations fund that ensures that humanitarian workers can quickly begin saving lives when a crisis strikes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has disbursed more than $2 billion in assistance since it was launched in 2006, making it the world’s largest source of humanitarian funding.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the fund has enabled the fast delivery of life-saving assistance to people affected by natural disasters and other crises in some 80 countries over the past five years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> “CERF is a United Nations success story,”Secretary-General<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Ban Ki-moon<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>said<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>at the start of the pledging conference held at UN Headquarters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">“It is flexible, and responsive to the needs of people. It provides a service, with low costs, that would otherwise not exist. And it has a clear, measurable impact.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">This year about $400 million has been disbursed by the fund to help some 29 million people across 45 countries, including for UN efforts to overcome the Horn of Africa crisis, the drought in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Niger</st1:country-region> and the floods in <st1:place w:st="on">Central America</st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Mr. Ban noted that many, both in the developing and developed worlds, are facing financially difficult times, and it is essential that every dollar spent on humanitarian aid is spent to maximum effect.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">“Money given to CERF is money well spent,” he told the representatives from governments, the private sector and civil society. “It is guaranteed to go to the people who need it most, in time to make a difference.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Several Member States – including <st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Denmark</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Estonia</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Germany</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Norway</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Sweden</st1:country-region>, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United Kingdom</st1:place></st1:country-region> – announced increases to their 2012 pledges.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Denmark</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> became one of the largest donors after it announced it would double its contribution to nearly $18 million. There were also two new donors, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Uruguay</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Niger</st1:place></st1:country-region>, which brings the total number of donors to 46 countries.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">In the last six years, a total of 126 States and observers, as well as some 30 public and private donors, have contributed to the fund.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16.8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">“I thank Member States for their strong support, which underscores their continued belief in CERF, and will enable us to help even more people in need,” said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos, who also chaired the pledging conference. ---</span> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">UN News<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div>

Donors give nearly $375 million to UN emergency relief fund

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos at the annual high-level conference on the Central Eme...