Development

The Israeli demolition of refugee shelters in Rafah camp on the southern Gaza Strip last week has left 1,240 people homeless, United Nations relief workers said today.

The co-chairs of the Local Aid Coordination Committee (LACC) – the group of international donors to the Palestinians — today released a report on the rapid expansion of Israel’s “separation barrier” around East Jerusalem.

There is a hole at the heart of Jenin camp. A hole where there once stood more than 400 refugee homes. Right now the site of the hardest-fought battle of Israel’s Operation Defensive Shield is still known as “ground zero” by locals, but within a year UNRWA hopes to transform several acres of mud into a community of modern shelters for almost 2,000 people.

On 31 July, the Israeli Ministry of Defence announced the completion of the first phase of the security barrier, officially launched on 16 June 2002. UNRWA calculated the impact of the wall on Palestinian refugees.

International aid agencies find the situation of closures, curfews and restrictions of movement unacceptable and call on Israel to respect applicable international law.

The Charity Commission today unfroze the assets of the Palestinian support charity INTERPAL and closed its inquiry. This action was taken after the watchdog received no evidence to verify allegations that the charity has links to Hamas’ political and militant activities.

Peter Hansen, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), has made a call for a just solution to the long-running Palestine refugee problem in order that the refugees can fulfill their human potential.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) today handed over 83 new shelters to families from Khan Younis refugee camp in the south of the Gaza Strip. The new development will allow UNRWA to re-house some of those whose shelters have been destroyed by Israeli forces during the last three years.