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News Releases
No. 78/07
June 26, 2007
EU COMMISSIONER LOUIS MICHEL RENEWS CALL FOR IMMEDIATE HUMANITARIAN ACCESS TO GAZA
 Louis
Michel, the European Commissioner for
Development and
Humanitarian
Aid, has called for the opening of the
border between
Israel and Gaza to enable vital relief
supplies to reach the people inside the Gaza Strip. "We
know the needs are increasing all the time. The problem
now is providing secure access to those who are
suffering. 30 million euros in supplies and funding from
the EU are ready and waiting: give us the tools to get
on with the job."
Mr. Michel stressed the need for rapid action to prevent
the humanitarian position from deteriorating any
further. "In the current situation, there is a real risk
that Gaza will begin to look like a citadel under siege,
where the civilian population is trapped and even basic
needs cannot be met. Humanitarian aid is neutral. It
does not seek to confer any advantage on any party or
imply any form of political recognition. There are no
grounds for a blockade of humanitarian aid. This must
continue to be provided to the people in Gaza in the
same way as for vulnerable groups in the West Bank - and
in other crisis zones."
The European Commission has a relief package of almost
30 million euros for Gaza, including 10.2 million euros
just released from its food aid reserve for the UN
Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for emergency food aid
in the Gaza Strip. This comes from an overall
humanitarian budget of 67.4 million euros for the
Palestinians - 43 million euros in its humanitarian
global plan and 23.4 million euros earmarked for food
aid. The relief programs are implemented by the
Commission's operational partners including the UN
Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the World Food Program
(WFP), the International Committee of the Red Cross and
non-governmental organizations.
For more information, see:
http://www.eurunion.org/newsweb/HotTopics/mideast.htm
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Further Contact Information
Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
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