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Luxembourg FM: Gazans not terrorists, need financial aid

Xinhua, November 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Luxembourg Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Asselborn on Sunday said that Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip are not extremists and called upon the world to help them economically.

Asselborn said in a press conference in Gaza that the "people of Gaza, particularly the youth, are not terrorists and we need to acknowledge that they need financial aid, not only social assistance."

Asselborn stressed the importance of implementing the reconstruction of Gaza, calling upon the UN, its Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA), and all officials to move the process forward.

"I heard that more than half of Gazans are under 18 years old. However, it's impossible to find a job here even if people complete their studies and this is very negative," he added.

Asselborn said that "if every Israeli could be one day in Gaza, it would be easier for Israel to see how life is here, and how difficult it is here."

He said that Luxembourg has spent 37 million U.S. dollars on the Gaza Strip from 2010 to 2014, stressing that without the support of the UN and the European Union, Gaza won't be a living place.

Asselborn visited destroyed houses in Beit Hanoun, north of Gaza and al-Shujaya neighborhood, east Gaza city which were bombarded during the latest Israeli war on Gaza in 2014.

The 50-day-war killed more than 2,200 Palestinians and left tens of thousands of residential houses and economic facilities partially or completely destroyed.

In October 2014, foreign and Arab donors convened in Cairo for a two-day conference, and pledged 5.4 billion dollars for reconstruction. Half of the amount was dedicated for rebuilding what had been destroyed by Israel.

The World Bank said in an official report that the plan of construction is going too slow because donors didn't fulfill their pledges.

Asselborn has met in Gaza four ministers of the consensus government, as well as UN officials working in Gaza.

On Saturday, Asselborn met the Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and Foreign Affairs Minister Riyad al-Malki and discussed latest developments and "Israeli violations." Endit