Gaza electricity cut 'alarming,' says UK
Palestine-Israel-UK, Politics, 1/22/2008

The British government yesterday expressed alarm at the cut in electricity to Gaza but stopped short of demanding that Israel ends cutting off fuel supplies that caused it.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband and International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said that they did not support Israel's decision to close all crossings into Gaza, preventing vital humanitarian supplies as well as fuel to the Gaza power station.

"Reports that electricity has been cut due to fuel shortages are particularly alarming and require urgent attention," they said in a joint statement.

"Continued fuel shortages will have immediate humanitarian consequences, including on the supply of clean water," the two ministers warned.

They appealed to all parties to work for the reopening of the crossings, adding that the UK will pursue this with Israel, the Palestinian Authority the UN, the EU and other partners.

EU external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner called the Israeli action as "collective punishment of the people of Gaza" and called for an end to the blockade.

Miliband and Alexander said that the rising number of rocket and sniper attacks from Gaza into Israel is "unacceptable." Israeli disproportionate use of force against Palestinian youth, children and women has caused human tragedy in Gaza Strip since last week which led to deaths of over 20 and wounding 50 others.

Doctors at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City said that Israel has used cluster bombs in its attacks on January 16, because all the wounded have lost limbs.

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