Kia Ora Gaza team says “Listen to Helen Clark.”

Roger Fowler gives the thumbs up on leaving London

Last touches to the ambulance fleet before heading off

Kia Ora Gaza[1], a team of six New Zealanders today leaving London with a multi-national land convoy delivering medical supplies to Gaza, believes the world should take UNDP head Helen Clark’s advice.

In an online chat broadcast from New York two days ago, Ms Clark said, "In the first response to a disaster, people need food, they need water, they need shelter, they need medicines. But actually what they need almost immediately is the ability to rebuild their lives." [2]

The kiwi team wholeheartedly endorses this view. “The situation in Gaza is undoubtedly a disaster, and recognized as such by most of the world. For that reason our team, and hundreds like us, are delivering medical assistance. But much of this aid would not be necessary if Palestinians were permitted to rebuild their destroyed infrastructure, homes, wells, and social institutions,” said Roger Fowler, Team Leader.

“Poor health and illness resulting from lack of access to clean water, poor sanitation and substandard living conditions could be avoided if Palestinians were able to reconstruct their lives”, he said. “International pressure is crucial to achieve that, as Israel continues to refuse to let the necessary construction marterials through their illegal blockade of Gaza.”

For this reason, the Viva Palestina convoy, of which Kia Ora Gaza is a part, is carrying only medical supplies and medicines.

The NZ team welcomes Helen Clark’s comments because they feel the United Nations has so far failed the people of Palestine, especially those of Gaza.

“Since their 1967 land-grab Israel has ignored UN Security Council Resolution after Security Council Resolution, and they continue to thumb their nose at international law and international public opinion alike. The international community ignores this at their peril – it is not only a gross abuse of Palestinian rights, but also of the ethical and moral principles that guide human civilization and social organization, and we saw where that led in 1939,” added another. “Israel has repeatedly shown that it is incapable of respecting the rights of other countries and peoples As the leading international body, the United Nations has a clear obligation to exert pressure on Israel to observe international law. It is remarkable that sanctions are imposed on other countries for comparable breaches of international law and human rights – if there was any consistency, Israel would be the one being blockaded, not Gaza.”

Whilst Helen Clark’s comments were directed at natural disasters, suffering is the same whatever it is caused by – and ‘unnatural disasters’ such as those caused by Israel are the result of deliberate policies and actions of governments, thus far more predictable – and avoidable - than any earthquake.

As Helen Clark said, "If you put in place the systems which anticipate what disaster might strike, then you can act to thwart the worst effects." But isn’t that what UN Conventions are? Sadly, their effectiveness is currently totally dependent on the good faith of their signatories – a quality Israel clearly lacks.

So until the United Nations comes up with some way of enforcing its resolutions, it will continue to be left to ordinary citizens from around the world to pick up the pieces, in the form of humanitarian efforts such as the Viva Palestina convoys.

The Kia Ora Gaza team will be delivering three ambulances packed with medical supplies to the suffering citizens of Gaza – perhaps Helen Clark could join her compatriots as they enter the strip, and experience first-hand what it means to be the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. At the very least it would provide her with compelling first-hand evidence with which to persuade her UN colleagues of the veracity of her comments – the rest of us are already convinced.

Kia kaha Helen, and kia ora, Gaza.

[1] kiaoragaza.net
[2] http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/4134034/World-should-emulate-NZ-Helen-Clark

ENDS