Hamas prepares for Arab League chief visit
Amr Moussa's expected to visit Strip as part of efforts to lift blockade. UNRWA says cement shortage hindering rehabilitation efforts
A Hamas government spokesman said Sunday night that preparations are being made in the Gaza Strip for the visit of the Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa. Moussa intends to visit Gaza as part of the League's efforts to lift the Gaza blockade.
No definite date has been given for the visit, but it is expected to take place within the next few days.
Hamas considers the visit a major achievement in light of the fact that the Arab League has refused to recognize its government in Gaza, although in the past it has tried to promote reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.
Gazans build with sand and clay (Photo: Reuters)
Moussa, an Egyptian, will be able to enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing, which Cairo opened following Israel's raid on a Gaza-bound ship last Monday.
Nine people died in the raid, which drew harsh criticism from the international community.
Seven vessels have tried to break Israel's blockade on Gaza so far, but none of them managed to reach the coastal enclave, resulting in a major cement shortage. Residents of the Strip are trying to build homes out of clay and sand.
UNRWA spokesman in Gaza Adnan Abu Hasna told Ynet that the organization has been able to build only four homes so far, but plans to construct 120 more. "This is not a solution. The solution is that Israel allow the entry of cement in the Strip," he said.
The Hamas government is also using clay to rebuild structures that were destroyed during Operation Cast Lead.
The Palestinians are transferring a considerable amount of cement into Gaza despite Egypt's strict supervision over the smuggling tunnels along the border, but sources in the Strip say the amount is not enough to repair the damage caused during the three-week Israeli offensive launched in late 2009.
"This is one of the main reasons people want to see an end to the blockade – because entire areas in Gaza are resorting to construction with clay," a Beit Lahiya resident said, "This creates - apart form the discomfort - a feeling that we have regressed."
