John Kerry -- "Please permit pasta" (Gaza)

webfusion

Philosopher
webfusion
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The Israelis have been given messages from US Sec'y of State Hillary Clinton to allow many more humanitarian shipments to get through than are currently being trans-shipped into Gaza at the crossing points.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1066821.html

Within the article, was this part:
  • When Senator John Kerry visited the Strip recently, he learned that many trucks loaded with pasta were not permitted in. When the chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee inquired as to the reason for the delay, he was told by United Nations aid officials that "Israel does not define pasta as part of humanitarian aid - only rice shipments."

I would imagine that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is angry at this 'diss'.
 
webfusion said:
The Israelis have been given messages from US Sec'y of State Hillary Clinton to allow many more humanitarian shipments to get through than are currently being trans-shipped into Gaza at the crossing points.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1066821.html


Within the article, was this part:
  • When Senator John Kerry visited the Strip recently, he learned that many trucks loaded with pasta were not permitted in. When the chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee inquired as to the reason for the delay, he was told by United Nations aid officials that "Israel does not define pasta as part of humanitarian aid - only rice shipments."
I would imagine that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is angry at this 'diss'.
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Why doesn't the UN ship its pasta through the Egyptian border with Gaza? Does Israel control that, too?
 
BPSCG said:
Why doesn't the UN ship its pasta through the Egyptian border with Gaza? Does Israel control that, too?
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Israeli pasta is superb.

Egyptian pasta, not so much.


2652939055_3101125f88.jpg
 
I find that rather embarrassing. There is no logical reason (that I know of) to decide that rice is humanitarian aid but pasta is not.
 
Pasta, in Gaza, is considered a "specialty" ---- a food item not usually found on the menu of the average family meals.
Rice, on the other hand, is a basic component of their diet.


ETA -- I am curious if the Gazan's are fans of the Egyptian "Koushary" dish?
I would think so...
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/koshary.htm
 
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webfusion said:
Pasta, in Gaza, is considered a "specialty" ---- a food item not usually found on the menu of the average family meals.
Rice, on the other hand, is a basic component of their diet.
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And yet, if some NGO want to donate pasta, it should be possible for them to do so.
 
Doctor Evil said:
And yet, if some NGO want to donate pasta, it should be possible for them to do so.
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Are Egyptian border guards shooting up UN relief trucks when they try to go into Gaza these days?

If not, what's the problem?
 
Doctor Evil said:
And yet, if some NGO want to donate pasta, it should be possible for them to do so.
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Well, apparently, the trucks of (donated) pasta arrived at the Israeli checkpost, and they were sent to a 'holding area' with a low priority designation. Since the number of trucks allowed in has been limited by Israel, these lower-priority cargos just sit there on the side, and don't make it through daily.

Mr. Kerry asked for Israel to make an exception, and they did. Pasta-riffic.
 

"Israel is not making enough effort to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza," senior U.S. officials told Israeli counterparts last week, and reiterated Washington's view by saying that "the U.S. expects Israel to meet its commitments on this matter."


ok....back to the pasta jokes, beeps inability to understand the situation on the egyptian border and the general disinterest in Palestinians welfare.
 
The Fool said:
ok....back to the pasta jokes, beeps inability to understand the situation on the egyptian border and the general disinterest in Palestinians welfare.
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I've been asking, but nobody seems to want to explain to me. If Israel won't open the border with blatantly hostile Gaza (and I don't blame them), why doesn't Gaza get relief supplies over the border it shares with Egypt?

I was asking kinda snidely, I'll admit, but nobody has bothered to answer.

Anyone? Bueller?
 
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I suspect Israel would like nothing better than to seal their border with Gaza permanently and dump the territory back on the Egyptians. The Egyptians do not seem particularly interested in taking responsibility for cleaning up the mess that the Palestinians and Israelis have made. Do you blame them?

Whether Israel would allow shipments in through Egypt is another question. They seem a bit concerned about the smuggling of weapons for some reason, and I'm guessing you can get more and larger weapons in with trucks than with tunnels. Same with things like cement that can be used to build houses, but can also be used to build bunkers. Israel wishes to maintain control over what goes in and out.

So take your pick. Either Egypt doesn't want it or Israel doesn't want it or both. No one seems to have asked Hamas' opinion.
 
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gdnp said:
I suspect Israel would like nothing better than to seal their border with Gaza permanently and dump the territory back on the Egyptians. The Egyptians do not seem particularly interested in taking responsibility for cleaning up the mess that the Palestinians and Israelis have made. Do you blame them?
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Nope. Mubarak has enough problems with Muslim fundies in Egypt. He'd probably be delighted if Israel actually did what E.J. thinks they want to do.

Whether Israel would allow shipments in through Egypt is another question.
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Does Israel have troops inside Gaza on the Egyptian border that would prevent it? Last I heard they didn't.

Does Israel have troops inside Egypt on the Gaza border that would prevent it? Last I heard they didn't.

So how would they prevent it?

They seem a bit concerned about the smuggling of weapons for some reason, and I'm guessing you can get more and larger weapons in with trucks than with tunnels.
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OTOH, trucks are easier to inspect.

FWIW, you'd think for all of Hamas's caterwauling about the eeeeeevil jooooz starving its people to death, they don't seem to have any trouble smuggling rockets and other weapons into the country to shoot at the jooooz. Maybe they should devote a little of that energy to smuggling food in, instead, hm?

Same with things like cement that can be used to build houses, but can also be used to build bunkers. Israel wishes to maintain control over what goes in and out.
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So I'm asking yet again - does Israel control what goes over the Egyptian border into Gaza? Yes or no?

So take your pick. Either Egypt doesn't want it or Israel doesn't want it or both. No one seems to have asked Hamas' opinion.
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I'll start caring about Hama's opinion when they start acting like civilized human beings.

As far as the rest, both Israel and Egypt are keeping relief supplies from getting into Gaza, but only the filthy joooz get blamed. Typical.
 
BPSCG said:
I've been asking, but nobody seems to want to explain to me. If Israel won't open the border with blatantly hostile Gaza (and I don't blame them), why doesn't Gaza get relief supplies over the border it shares with Egypt?

I was asking kinda snidely, I'll admit, but nobody has bothered to answer.

Anyone? Bueller?
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google is your friend....get back to us when you are up to speed on the issue.
 
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