Israel is preventing a Greek team made up of 34
earthquake rescue experts from coming to Israel to help salvage bodies
from beneath the ruins in the Jenin refugee camp, Palestinian and Greek
sources have confirmed to Ha'aretz.
Queried on the issue, a spokesperson for
the Foreign Ministry said, "Israel does not prevent humanitarian aid. We
are aware of the problem and it is being handled by the relevant
authorities."
A plane loaded with equipment
has been delayed for two days at the Athens airport since the Foreign
Ministry informed the Greek embassy that "there is no need for such a
team."
Greek sources told Ha'aretz that Greek diplomats had
told their Israeli counterparts that the question of whether the team was
needed or not, could only be determined on site.
Palestinian officials praised the Greek initiative and have said
they eagerly anticipate the team's arrival.
Reports of people missing are still coming in from the refugee
camp as well as reports of children sustaining injuries from explosive
devices left strewn amongst the camp's ruins. Residents of the camp are
now blaming the IDF bomb sappers, saying they have left the camp without
completing their job.
Russia to send humanitarian aid to Palestinian
territories
MOSCOW - Russia is
sending humanitarian aid and emergency workers to the Middle East on
Wednesday to assist Palestinians in the wake of Israel's military
operations in Palestinian territories, the Emergency Situations Ministry
said.
A ministry spokeswoman said a group
of experts, along with humanitarian cargo, would fly to Amman, Jordan,
from Moscow on Wednesday afternoon.
Deputy
Minister Yuri Brazhnikov said Wednesday's shipment would include 20 metric
tons of food, 1,000 blankets and 30 three-person tents, according to the
Interfax news agency.
"After the situation
in Palestine is assessed, a mobile hospital and necessary specialists of
the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry are expected to be sent to the
region," Brazhnikov was quoted as saying. Tentatively, the ministry group
is to work in Jenin and other cities controlled by the Palestinian
Authority, he said.
Brazhnikov said Russia
had reached an agreement with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority on the assistance.
While Russia is officially a co-sponsor of the Middle East peace
process along with the United States, Moscow has taken a much less active
role in trying to broker a political solution to the
conflict. |