UN unveils $2.1bn plan for Gaza rebuilding

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon disclosed Sunday a USD 2.1 billion-worth UN plan for rebuilding Gaza Strip after the recent devastating Israeli war on the densely populated Palestinian enclave.
Speaking at the Cairo International Conference on Palestine and Reconstructing Gaza, the UN Chief stressed that the international community has to shoulder its responsibility towards Gaza people who were displaced by the war.
He called on world countries, particularly those represented in the meeting, to contribute generously to Gaza reconstruction plan.
The UN had managed to collect only half of the value of its USD 551 million-worth appeal for offering urgent needs for war-traumatized Gaza people, he lamented.
Ban, however, underlined the need to put an end to the cycle of destruction and reconstruction in Gaza, warning against the eruption of a new war.
"Gaza remains a tinderbox, the people desperately need to see results in their daily lives," Ban said.
He called for lifting the Israeli blockade and for the two-state solution to be applied.
The UN chief urged both sides to avoid violations of international law, and advised leaders to overcome their differences to put an end to the conflict.
He also reiterated the UN support to the Palestinian national unity government and the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas.
The reconstruction of Gaza would require "a strong political base", and not just the transfer of funds, he said.
The conference is being attended by more than 30 foreign ministers under joint Egyptian-Norwegian leadership.
More than 50 national delegations and around 20 representatives from regional and international organizations are present. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU foreign policy Chief Catherine Ashton are also in attendance.
The Palestinian Authority has called for more than USD 4 billion in aid to rebuild Gaza's infrastructure and provide humanitarian relief to the blockaded coastal territory.
A 51-day devastating Israeli offensive on Gaza, which ended on August 26, left nearly 2,200 Palestinians dead and over 12,000 wounded. It has also destroyed totally or partially thousands of homes and public facilities in the Strip leaving over 100,000 Gazans homeless.