Israel eases Gaza blockade on some banned foods

[Adsos Letter]

Source: AP

By DIAA HADID, Associated Press Writer Diaa Hadid, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 43 mins ago
JERUSALEM – Israel eased a three-year blockade of Gaza Wednesday to allow in some previously banned food items in an effort to defuse the worldwide furor over its deadly raid on a Gaza-bound international flotilla. But critics said the step falls far short of what is needed in the impoverished Palestinian territory.

In the first tangible step to temper the uproar caused by last week's raid, Israel only narrowly expanded the list of items that can enter by adding little more than snack foods and spices. It did not permit the most sought after items, such as cement, steel and other materials needed to rebuild the war-devastated territory and it was unlikely to ease international pressure.

"The international community is united in seeking an urgent and fundamental change in Israel's policy of blockading Gaza," said Maxwel Gaylard, the U.N.'s most senior humanitarian official in the Palestinian territories. "A modest expansion of the restrictive list of goods allowed into Gaza falls well short of what is needed. We need a fundamental change and an opening of crossings for commercial goods."

Israeli officials said the move was meant to defuse pressure for an international investigation of the May 31 raid. The clashes broke out after Israeli naval commandos boarded one of six ships on the flotilla and some of the hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists on board attacked them with pipes and other makeshift weapons. The Israelis killed nine.

link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100609/ap_on_re_mi_ea/gaza_blockade
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Why is Israel banning food products? Are these foods produced by Hamas-associated companies, or what?

Given that (from the article) these were snack food and juices, how does that enter into concerns for security? Is it possible to make a land mine, or rocket out of a package of Gummi Bears? :shrug:

[dipsydoodle]

1. You may have no idea

of the dangerous substances that can be made from corianda especially when mixed with cucumber.

[Wizard777]

3. If they are THAT paranoid. You can make bombs out of urine.

But I come from a time when Americans were very resourceful and inventive. Like I've said for the longest time. If I can make it to the kitchen I can level the house. If I can make it to the garage I can level the block. Be grateful I'm on your side.

:patriot:

[dipsydoodle]

4. I used to be able to do things like that too

Was a bi-product of being good at chemistry at school.

:hi:

[Adsos Letter]

5. women collected urine for the production of gunpowder during the American Revolution

that dust-up with, um...England :D

[Wizard777]

7. Yes we were also much better educated.

Learning is fun. Especially when it goes BANG! Then the adrenalin rush achieves an informational lock. Just try and forget that.

:hi:

[Wizard777]

12. Guess what Palestine has huge pools of laying around all over the place?

Israel better get in there and confiscate all that urine before they figure out how to make it go BOOM.

[abelenkpe]

2. I'm still confused over this whole issue

Why is there a blockade at all? And is it legal?

[aranthus]

6. Yes. It is legal.

Here's why. Hamas is the democratically elected government of Gaza. Hamas rejects the legitimacy of Israel's existence, and is at war with Israel. The Gazans knew all of this before they elected Hamas, which means that the Gazans are responsible for the actions of their elected government just as Israel is responsible for its elected government. Hamas has manufactured its own rockets and has fired them at Israeli towns. Hamas has also imported weapons, probably including rockets and missiles. Since Israel and Hamas are at war, they have the legitimate rights of belligerency. A blockade is one of those rights. Israel has the right to blockade Gaza to try and prevent Hamas from importing weapons or things that could be used for military purposes. That includes stopping ships in international waters which have indicated an intention to try and run the blockade, as the most recent flotilla did.

[whosinpower]

10. Okaaaay

Israel has the right to blockade Gaza to try and prevent Hamas from importing weapons or things that could be used for military purposes.

Coriander?
paper?
notebooks?
shoes?
clothes?
pasta?
Grapes?
margarine in buckets? (margarine in small packets is allowed)
Chocolate?

Oh wait...I see the pattern now....Israel is afraid that Hamas will bake a cake, wrap it in paper, throw on some deadly grapes and walk it over with new shoes and clothes thus fooling the border guards, and inside that cake is sharp raw pasta that could choke a politician....that happens to have a softness for anything made with coriander and chocolate. The notebooks are forbidden because they might write down the recipe and give it to all the other terrorists.....

[cali]

13. because you say so?

there certainly is not a consensus reaching that conclusion by experts. Far from it. Collective punishment is just wrong.

And Israelis elected war criminal Ariel Sharon.

[proteus_lives]

8. Hamas keeps attacking Israel, that's the reason for the blockade.

[subsuelo]

9. it's part of Israel's ongoing war against the indigenous population of Palestine. n/t

[polly7]

11. Agreed. nt.