Navy foils attempt to smuggle explosives into Gaza Strip

[ShalachEtAmi]

By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters

The Israel Navy recently foiled a Palestinian attempt to smuggle at least 550 kilos of explosives into the Gaza Strip, according to information released Tuesday.

The attempt was thwarted on Independence Day when naval troops south of Ashdod became suspicious of three Palestinian fishing boats. The three boats fled after throwing a number of bags containing explosive devices into the sea.

A gag order on the incident was lifted Tuesday.


In an inspection of the area Sunday, navy divers pulled 11 bags from the water, which contained of total of 550 kilograms of standard explosive devices.



http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/714040.html

[ShalachEtAmi]

1. They were not smuggling food but explosives..

One would think with the Humanitarian Crisis in the Gaza strip the attempt would be to smuggle food or goods in and out of Gaza.

These explosives could of been used for `good` things like blowing up Karni,Shalom or Eretz crossing , to compound the Humanitarian crisis, I guess....

[barb162]

2. Thanks for posting; These articles need to be seen.

I have a hard time working up sympathy for those who need explosives

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Uh, the IDF needs explosives...

I take it you have a hard time working up sympathy for the IDF as well? ;)

Violet...

[barb162]

5. And what about you, Violet?

[Violet_Crumble]

8. Was that an answer to my question?

n/t

[Phx_Dem]

4. where does the money come from to buy over 1000 lbs..

of explosives?

[stevekatz]

6. one would think

International donors of some kind

[barb162]

7. read below on UNRWA

October 12, 2004
Nadler Calls on Powell to Suspend Funding for UNRWA
Until Terrorists are Removed from its Staff

Washington, DC -- In a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell, Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) stated that funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) should be suspended until members of terrorist organizations are removed from its staff. Nadler's request follows the recent revelation that members of the terrorist organization Hamas are employed by UNRWA. Nadler's letter to Powell, which was co-written by Representatives Eliot L. Engel (D-NY) and Jim Saxton (R-NJ), follows:

Dear Secretary Powell:

We write to express our shock upon learning that members of the terrorist organization Hamas are employed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). We urge you to suspend all funding for UNRWA until all members of terrorist organizations are removed from its staff. We further urge you to use the United States’ leverage in the United Nations and UNRWA to ensure that its leader, Peter Hansen, is removed from office as soon as possible.


As you are likely aware, Peter Hansen, Commissioner General of UNRWA, has recently admitted, "I am sure that there are Hamas members on the UNRWA payroll and I don’t see that as a crime." It is absolutely unforgivable for a United Nations organization to employ terrorists. Hamas is on the State Department’s list of terrorist organizations and is committed to the destruction of the State of Israel. Even during the heyday of the Israeli - Palestinian peace process during the 1990s, Hamas carried out terrorist attacks on Israel, murdering scores of civilians, including several Americans. Even after the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Hamas continued to conduct and claim responsibility for numerous acts of terrorism, including the deadly May 27, 2002 Passover bombing at the Park Hotel in Netanya, the December 1, 2001 double suicide bombing on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem, and fourteen murderous bus and bus stop bombings.

Under the leadership of Peter Hansen, UNRWA has long been accused of looking the other way or accepting no responsibility when charges arise that Palestinian terrorists operate in its refugee camps. Not only have many of the suicide bombers of Hamas and other Palestinian terror organizations come from UNRWA refugee camps, but students in UNRWA schools have received a steady diet of hatred and anti-Semitism in their textbooks. Furthermore, reports widely indicate that terrorists have taken advantage of the limited restrictions Israel places on humanitarian vehicles, including the use of ambulances and other U.N. vans for illicit purposes.

snip

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ny08_nadler/PowellUNRWA101204.html

You will also note this sentence toward the bottom of the letter:"We must be certain that UNRWA directs 100% of its budget toward education, health and other humanitarian programs, not to the employment of Hamas members."

When there is roughly a billion dollars of foreign money floating into the territories every year, a lot of that money can get used for purposes unintended by the donors. But it's just not UNRWA, it's money coming from elsewhere, including the US, EU, the Mideast. Money gets shifted from one account to another. Without extremely strict financial oversight, it will continue to happen.