Al-Surani: UN-Israeli reconstruction mechanism ‘systemises Gaza siege’

The director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Raji al-Surani, said on Monday that the UN-Israeli agreement on the mechanisms for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip effectively serves to “systemise the siege”.

Al-Surani’s comments came in response to the recent agreement between the UN peace process envoy to the Middle East, Robert Serry, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Israeli occupation.

After a meeting with the German commissioner for human rights policy and humanitarian aid, Christoph Strässer, Al-Surani warned that the siege on Gaza has become a “strategic” interest in the wake of the latest Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

“The reconstruction of the Gaza Strip became an impossible mission in the light of the retention of the siege and the measures to systemise it,” he said. He added that the Palestinian unity government is “theoretical” as it is not carrying out its mission, especially in Gaza.

“Four months have passed since the Israeli war on Gaza, but nothing has changed regarding the reconstruction, which has become an impossible mission,” he said.

He stressed that the Israeli occupation is the main culprit for the siege on the Strip and that the closure of the Rafah Crossing has doubled the suffering of people in Gaza. He also reiterated his belief that freedom of movement for the Palestinians is the responsibility of the Israeli occupation.