Palestinian Arab in Charge of Gaza Reconstruction Resigns
April 1, 2015The Palestinian Arab official tasked with the reconstruction of Gaza has resigned, AFP reports Wednesday, after criticism was levied at the pace of the work.
Palestinian ‘Economy Minister’ Mohammed Mustafa, who is also deputy prime minister for the national unity government between Islamist Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement, did not give a reason for his resignation.
Mustafa headed a committee responsible for the reconstruction of Gaza following Operation Protective Edge in July and August.
UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian Arab refugees, has estimated that the homes of more than 96,000 Gazans were destroyed or damaged during the conflict. The high level of destruction is due to the fact that Hamas heavily entrenched its terrorist network in the civilian infrastructure of Gaza.
Mustafa faced a torrent of criticism in recent months for the slow pace of reconstruction in Gaza.
He repeatedly denounced international donors for failing to deliver a pledged $5 billion (4.6 billion euro) for reconstruction efforts, with only afew hundred million dollars reaching the Palestinians.
In late January, UNRWA said that it cannot afford to repair Gaza homes damaged in last year’s war with Israel – because donors have failed to live up to their pledges to pay.
“The agency has exhausted all funding to support repairs and rental subsidies,” it said.
“$5.4 billion was pledged at the Cairo (aid) conference last October and virtually none of it has reached Gaza. This is distressing and unacceptable. It is unclear why this funding has not been forthcoming,” added the UN agency.
A Hamas official warned recently that the coastal territory could become a breeding ground for extremism unless promised reconstruction is accelerated.
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