UN Security Council to Meet on Gaza Blockade

The United Nations Security Council is set to meet Tuesday late afternoon to discuss what Hamas has successfully billed as a “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza following Israel’s partial blockade on the region. The embargo was put in place in response to massive rocket attacks on southern Jewish towns.

Gaza has continued to receive more than two-thirds of its regular electricity supplies from Israel.

Arab leaders are hoping to convince the Security Council to approve a resolution forcing Israel to open the crossings into Gaza, which entails increased security risks to Jewish citizens in the western Negev. Arabs have successfully smuggled in ammuniiton and bomb-making materials through the crossings.

The emergency session came in response to an outcry by member nations of the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and Arab ambassadors to the UN.

“The [Arab League] council requested appropriate measures… be taken by the Security Council to bring an immediate end to this onslaught of attacks against our people, particularly in the Gaza Strip,” Palestinian Authority UN observer Riyad Mansour told news reporters. Riyad added that it was hoped the Security Council would demand that Israel reopen the crossings.

Egypt, a member of the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, continues its own blockade of Gaza. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has rejected calls by Hamas to open its border with Gaza in the Sinai peninsula, with little or no international notice taken.

Leaders of the European Union (EU) have already condemned Israel for imposing “collective punishment” on Gaza residents. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to discuss the matter, but a statement by Ki-moon’s office offered no other details.

Israeli officials have made it clear that no humanitarian crisis exists in Gaza. Likewise, whatever cutoff of fuel supplies was carried out came in response to the hundreds of missile attacks on Jewish communities in the western Negev. Palestinian Authority attacks even targeted Ashkelon, a city in which several strategic installations are located, including a power station currently supplying Gaza itself.

The cabinet approved a plan several months ago to cut off electricity to Gaza every time a rocket attack is launched by local terrorists against western Negev communities. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi also vowed to retaliate with air strikes and other attacks on the ruling Hamas party targets every time an attack against Israel is launched from Gaza, regardless of which terror group claims responsibility.