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British FM David Miliband shaking hands with Defense Minister Ehud Barak in November of last year in Tel Aviv. (Archives)
Last update - 20:32 09/02/2008
U.K.: Gaza electricity cut risks harming humanitarian situation
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Gaza power cut, Palestinians 

Britain on Saturday criticized Israel's cutback of one percent of the power it supplies to the Gaza Strip, and urged Israel to reverse the decision, which was made in the wake of ongoing rocket fire from Gaza on southern Israeli communities.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said in a statement that he was extremely concerned by the cuts.

"We believe that such action risks a further deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Gaza without improving the security situation. Without a steady supply of electricity hospitals cannot function, pumping stations and sewage systems fail, and access to clean water is denied," Miliband said.
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The foreign secretary urged Israel to immediately reverse its decision, "to avoid any further planned cuts, and to fulfil its obligations under international law."

Miliband also condemned last Monday's suicide bombing in Dimona, and called on all Palestinian factions to stop attacks, "including rocket attacks, against innocent civilians."

Last month, Miliband met with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in London. Following their meeting, Miliband called for Israeli restraint and said that the international community had a role to play in calming tensions in the region.

"Political negotiations must be twinned with practical change on the ground, for security to be improved on both sides of the border, and for economic development for the Palestinian people," Miliband said, adding that the Gazans were enduring "unbearable deprivation."

Meretz party chairman, MK Yossi Beilin, also criticized the government's power cut to Gaza, maintaining it would not decrease the rocket firing, but instead increase hatred towards Israel, strengthen Hamas, and hurt Israel's image internationally.

Beilin, speaking at the Tel Aviv Museum, called on the government to consider reaching a cease fire with Hamas, instead of doing "stupid acts," as he called the power cut.

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      1.   "drop in humanitarian situation" 13:25  |  flimflam 09/02/08
      2.   Simple, give Hamas a choice: Rockets & weapons or electricity... 13:35  |  Nannette 09/02/08
      3.   Milibands` great concern 13:45  |  ChanahS 09/02/08
      4.   To be or not to be. 13:48  |  Vital 09/02/08
      5.   About time. 13:51  |  Johan Mohan Cohan 09/02/08
      6.   What! Another Brainless Criticism!!! 14:17  |  The Archives 09/02/08
      7.   David Milliband is Jewish 14:40  |  Paul Wood 09/02/08
      8.   International law and Gaza. 14:44  |  Malka Ziv 09/02/08
      9.   Let Britain Supply The Power 14:45  |  dyinglikeflies 09/02/08
      10.   Miliband? Are you the "legitimate" one? 14:48  |  Gideon Reader 09/02/08
      11.   Amazing ! 15:01  |  Alex 09/02/08
      12.   One more proof not only Sweden supplied Germany,also GB 15:06  |  Absolute Sweden 09/02/08
      13.   British Government 15:18  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/02/08
      14.   Beilin is a wise man. 15:21  |  Jacob 09/02/08
      15.   APPALLING! 15:32  |  Dennis 09/02/08
      16.   David Miliband Flunked International Law 15:34  |  Ralph Levy 09/02/08
      17.   Dear stupids, Miliband and Beilin 15:39  |  Sidney 09/02/08
      18.   Miliband called for Israeli restraint........ 15:43  |  Jack Jordan 09/02/08
      19.   Gaza cutback,Hamas rockets 15:43  |  Moshe 09/02/08
      20.   #1 flimflam 15:49  |  Dennis 09/02/08
      21.   FS Milibrand`s Law 15:49  |  Jeff Northridge 09/02/08
      22.   Nonsense 15:54  |  ussishkin 09/02/08
      23.   #5...Does God Speak With A British Accent? 15:58  |  Dennis 09/02/08
      24.   International law! 16:03  |  Nabulsi 09/02/08
      25.   ## 2 nannette 16:11  |  ramachandran nair 09/02/08
      26.   It would be nice if concern was also for Israelis 16:28  |  Richard S 09/02/08
      27.   # 1 flimflam....Pal Health Ministry said 16:28  |  Lynn 09/02/08
      28.   # 3 Chanah S...it`s all about the world being 16:30  |  Lynn 09/02/08
      29.   Humanitarian problems says the UK 16:33  |  Rozz 09/02/08
      30.   Power cuts 16:33  |  Naim S. Mahlab 09/02/08
      31.   I guess dead Jews improves Israel`s image. 16:37  |  Cynic 09/02/08
      32.   The Archives of Malaysia 16:38  |  Lynn 09/02/08
      33.   The Archives... 16:53  |  John 09/02/08
      34.   Mahlab, how true! 16:56  |  John 09/02/08
      35.   Johan Mohan Cohan 17:05  |  Serge 09/02/08
      36.   what can you expect from UK?? 17:05  |  Igor D. 09/02/08
      37.   #9 You forgot to say... 17:05  |  John 09/02/08
      38.   to # 23, nabulsi 17:10  |  Igor D. 09/02/08
      39.   Milibband and Beilin 17:11  |  Garry 09/02/08
      40.   UK really this dimmified? First country lost to islam in t. west? 17:15  |  Johnny 09/02/08
      41.   Sof sof, a British FM who isn`t frightened of the Lobby 17:18  |  Chanalau, Tova 09/02/08
      42.   #8 Malka Ziv 17:18  |  Boycott 09/02/08
      43.   Miliband, do you know what Hamas is? 17:20  |  God, save us 09/02/08
      44.   #9 dyinglikeflies 17:22  |  Boycott 09/02/08
      45.   CHRIS #12 17:27  |  miras 09/02/08
      46.   News Headline: 17:34  |  R 09/02/08
      47.   Milibrand should worry about his own country 18:17  |  ChanahS 09/02/08
      48.   Tell the UK FM To Fly a Kite 18:38  |  Tod Zuckerman 09/02/08
      49.   mr milliband and internat law 18:41  |  norman A. Blumberg 09/02/08
      50.   israel punishes 2 million ppl over such BS 18:54  |  1st=truth2nd=justice 09/02/08
      51.   More British hypocrisy 18:58  |  Frank 09/02/08
      52.   Tell Britian where to go! 18:58  |  Avraham 09/02/08
      53.   20. Dennis 19:13  |  flimflam 09/02/08
      54.   27. Lynn 19:16  |  flimflam 09/02/08
      55.   12% of brits are muzlimz. 19:18  |  miras 09/02/08
      56.   #45 Miras 19:18  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/02/08
      57.   #51 Frank 19:21  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/02/08
      58.   52. Avraham: "tell Britain where to go" 19:21  |  flimflam 09/02/08
      59.   #52 Avraham 19:23  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/02/08
      60.   good! 19:32  |  dav zee 09/02/08
      61.   How stupid 19:34  |  Michael Garkawe 09/02/08
      62.   Remember the V2 rockets and what fun it was 19:46  |  Avi 09/02/08
      63.   How To Fix Things: Making Progress on the Road Map 19:46  |  Brad 09/02/08
      64.   as some jews h. said IDF cares only what 19:50  |  bozhidar balkas 09/02/08
      65.   #38, Igor D 20:01  |  Dennis 09/02/08
      66.   Political solutions are a fantasy world in the ME 20:02  |  Avi 09/02/08
      67.   No matter what Israel does, it gets THE FINGER! 20:04  |  Avi 09/02/08
      68.   Poor Gazans 20:23  |  stu 09/02/08
      69.   Hey UK: Drop Dead! 20:26  |  Jewish State 09/02/08
      70.   undermine the peace process 20:57  |  Barry 09/02/08
      71.   Gaza, Shmaza 20:59  |  Phil 09/02/08
      72.   Hey UK, you supply it. Humanitarian crisis is occuring by keeping 21:19  |  these people alive. 09/02/08
      73.   #56-57 21:29  |  Moshe 09/02/08
      74.   #59 21:32  |  Moshe 09/02/08
      75.   #64 21:41  |  Moshe 09/02/08
      76.   The British Message To The Uppity Jews 21:43  |  Norman F Birnberg 09/02/08
      77.   GAZA 21:48  |  M 09/02/08
      78.   Israel`s PM Olmert is being blackmailed, 21:50  |  Joseph . E 09/02/08
      79.   Starving Palestinians to death. 21:53  |  Allon 09/02/08
      80.   Israel and the Dawning of the Police State 21:57  |  Joseph . E 09/02/08
      81.   there wont be any hospital or humanitarian problems because of th 21:57  |  ZIONIST FOREVER 09/02/08
      82.   Chris Linthwaite - When did Israel ever need the UK 22:00  |  Allon 09/02/08
      83.   EUROPEAN HYPOCRACY!!!!!!!!!!! 22:11  |  Ben Uziel 09/02/08
      84.   Hey Chris Linthwaite, change your prescription! 22:20  |  Joe Sittizen 09/02/08
      85.   is it a humanitarian sitiuation 22:22  |  jojo 09/02/08
      86.   Terrorist attacks cause humanitarian crisis 22:46  |  KUTW 09/02/08
      87.   The worst of both worlds 22:50  |  Moshe M. 09/02/08
      88.   Fiddling while Israel burns 22:59  |  Moshe M. 09/02/08
      89.   Defining the enemy 23:15  |  Moshe M. 09/02/08
      90.   europen hyprocacy 23:16  |  m 09/02/08
      91.   To #57: British hypocrisy 23:24  |  Frank 09/02/08
      92.   Milburn..Would you have sent electric power to Germany while Lond 23:51  |  Joe 09/02/08
      93.   no other choice 00:19  |  utagawa 10/02/08
      94.   Gaza cutbacks 00:21  |  Carl Mathis 10/02/08
      95.   74. dear moshe. many jews use label... 00:29  |  bozhidar balkas 10/02/08
      96.   Malka Hof #8 LAW 00:31  |  ron 10/02/08
      97.   CHRIS #56 00:47  |  miras 10/02/08
      98.   Fire rockets at London and see what he says then 00:52  |  Liliane 10/02/08
      99.   humanitarian situation 01:04  |  Shmuelshachor 10/02/08
      100.   Hamas must be eradicated to the last man 01:04  |  Stephen in New York 10/02/08
      101.   MESSAGE TO UK 01:24  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/02/08
      102.   Gaza electricity cut 01:52  |  Mark Jeffery Koch 10/02/08
      103.   Flimflam 02:22  |  Roland 10/02/08
      104.   Beilin 02:25  |  Roland 10/02/08
      105.   Ignore the UK 02:31  |  Jane 10/02/08
      106.   I`ve seen this play before 02:34  |  LisaV 10/02/08
      107.   beilin is a naive fool, firing rockets causes humanitarian crisis 02:55  |  ralph 10/02/08
      108.   electricity no, massive destruction si! 03:54  |  charged 10/02/08
      109.   well said Cipora... 04:22  |  MaryRose 10/02/08
      110.   #7 What is kinda scary is that you... 04:42  |  MaryRose 10/02/08
      111.   #64-why do you generalises against jews??! isnt it antisemetism?? 14:26  |  miras 10/02/08
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