German Development Minister Visits Gaza

Wednesday June 15, 2011 06:05 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

German Development Minister, Dirk Niebel, visited the Gaza Strip, the stronghold of the Hamas movement, on Tuesday, and praised the reconciliation and unity agreement between the Fateh movement of President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas.

German Development Minister - Dirk Niebel

He arrived in the Gaza Strip via the Rafah Border Terminal, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, held a meeting with UNRWA Commission General, Filippo Grandi, and toured the Ajleen sewage treatment plant.

During a press conference at the UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City, Niebel stated that development cannot take place in Gaza without a political solution, and added that the reconciliation agreement between Fateh and Hamas is an important step towards the two-state solution with Israel.

He also called for ending the Israeli blockade on Gaza, and for a permanent ceasefire with Israel.

The German official further stated that his country pledged 50 Million Euros to rehabilitate the sewage treatment plant in the Al Boreij Refugee ccamp in central Gaza, and additional 3 Million for constructing new UNRWA schools.

He also visited the Sheikh Ajleen sewage treatment plant, west of Gaza city, as Berlin offered 20 million euros to rehabilitate it.

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