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Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, May-June 2008, page 69 Human Rights Act Local and Global to Help the Hungry
AS HAIL FELL outside, panelists discussed hunger at home and abroad after a traditional Palestinian dinner March 8 at the Universalist National Memorial Church in Washington, DC. The evening was co-sponsored by Food for All and United Palestinian Appeal (UPA). UPA executive director Samar Badawi asked audience members to be aware of what is happening to their DC neighbors as well as to Palestinians in Gaza. There are severe shortages of food in Gaza, he reminded them, and in DC shelters. “This is something that is pandemic world wide,” Badawi said. “We want you to understand the issue in its local context and to also motivate you to act globally.” Michele Tingling-Clemmons, a board member of the DC Food Bank and a long-time advocate for the hungry in Washington, DC, said that for there to be real peace in Palestine there must be justice. She went on to say that there also must be justice in the capital of the world’s strongest nation when it comes to full voting rights for its citizens. People don’t need food only around the holidays, she pointed out, they need it on a daily basis to survive. UPA director of programs Melinda A. Borne discussed hunger and the lack of food as it relates to the 1.5 million people of Gaza, who live in an area of 144 square miles—more than twice the size of DC. Eighty percent of Gazans are dependent on humanitarian aid, she noted, with 75 percent dependent specifically on food aid. More than 56 percent of Gazans are children, she added. Borne went on to say that 25 to 30 percent of the population does not have running water, and a majority of households lose power at least 8 hours every day. Seventy percent of Gazans live on $1.20 a day. “Supplies to Gaza are intended to be delivered in 250 trucks a day, but they are now limited [by the Israelis] to 45 trucks a day,” Borne said. “During a 10-day period from Jan. 18-29 of this year, a total of 32 trucks were allowed in [to Gaza]: that’s three trucks a day, 1.2 percent of the number of trucks coming in less than a year ago.” Universalist National Memorial Church Deacon Arthur “Marti” Martinson told the crowd that in the past he had always sponsored a child from South America, but had decided that the next time he would sponsor someone from Egypt—until, that was, he picked up a copy of the Washington Report in 2003 and read about the appalling conditions in Gaza. Since then Martinson has sponsored a boy named Mohammad. During his talk he read with great feeling from a short letter he had received from the boy. Many of the attendees who came because of their dedication to feeding the hungry of DC were shocked to learn of the conditions in Gaza, while a woman who originally is from Palestine said she wants to do more for the poor of DC, that it is her duty as a Muslim. Fuad Foty and his daughter Nadine ended the evening by entertaining the audience with songs from the Middle East. The proceeds generated by the event will be shared by Food for All and United Palestinian Appeal. —Jamal Najjab |
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