Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and United Nations High Commissioner on Civil Rights Navi Pillay squared off Tuesday, trading charges on who is responsible for reported food shortages in Gaza.
The closure of the Gaza crossings, under constant threat of Hamas terrorist attacks, "is in direct contravention of international human rights and humanitarian law. It must end now," Pillay declared from Geneva. "Decisive steps must be taken to preserve the dignity and basic welfare of the civilian population, more than half of whom are children."
The Foreign Ministry wasted little time in reacting with unusually sharp criticism. "It is shocking to read the High Commissioner's utterly shortsighted press release regarding the humanitarian situation," the ministry stated to media. "Most disturbing is the way she casually refers to Palestinian aggression…as almost an afterthought."
Pillay put the blame for Gaza shortages squarely on Israel's shoulders, while the government holds Hamas fully responsible. "Closure" of Gaza crossings actually is not a correct term because Israel frequently allows trucks with tons of food and supplies to cross into Gaza despite continuing rocket and mortar attacks on Israel. Thirty-three trucks loaded with supplies moved into Gaza on Tuesday despite an announcement that all crossings would remain shut down.
"Overall responsibility for the situation in the Gaza Strip lies with Hamas, which invests all of its resources in arms and terrorism instead of providing for the civilians that it brutally controls," noted the Foreign Ministry. "The Hamas terrorist organization and affiliated Palestinian terrorist groups have fired more than 170 rockets and mortars at Israel during the past 10 days.
"Rather than engaging in the political game being promoted by the Palestinians, Israel expects the High Commissioner to investigate the facts before issuing one-sided statements about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and to begin by forcefully condemning the perpetrators of terror."
The Palestinian Authority, Hamas and the U.N. have been issuing statements for more than a year of a humanitarian disaster in Gaza ever since Hamas's military coup last year that wrestled control away from the rival Fatah faction.
U.N. officials stated earlier this week that they were ceasing to supply food to villages they operate because there were no more provisions to be distributed.
However, U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) spokesmen Chris Gunness said Tuesday that distribution will be resumed on a small scale. He said the latest shipments will last for several days but not weeks.
International media have been reporting on the "siege" and shortages of supplies for more than a year. The Reuters news agency told its readers Tuesday of Gaza residents' plight and then linked their situation with the Israeli order to keep the crossings closed on Wednesday.
After reporting that Gaza "militants" fired three rockets that exploded in open areas, Reuters quoted Gunness as stating, "Babies should not be punished by being deprived of milk. I am not aware of babies firing rockets or baby milk being used to power rockets."
Israel has been unable to counter the year-long campaign by the PA, the U.N. and the media that has cast the Jewish state in a negative light.