DOHA/GAZA—Head of the Qatari project, Mohammed al-Emadi, announced Wednesday that the status of reconstruction in Gaza is to witness a real breakthrough, noting that Qatar is to provide 70% of the needed construction materials for the projects.
Al Ray Palestinian Media Agency reports that, during a Wednesday night TV interview, al-Emadi explained that he advised Rami Hamdallah, the head of Palestinian reconciliation government, to form committees similar to the Qatari committees for facilitating the projects.
He noted that the stance of the reconciliation government and Israel, towards reconstruction of Gaza, is positive, expressing hopes that plans could be enacted in just a short time.
He said that he is to meet Hamdallah in Ramallah, soon, in order to discuss the Gaza file, and to solve the crisis there. In addition to reconstructing Gaza after the 50-day Israeli assault, Qatar intends to provide work for the unemployed, so that they can support their families.
He explained that the projects depends, instead of on foreign companies, on the local Palestinian competencies and labor to provide them with a chance to work.
In a joint conference with the minister of Public Works and Housing, Mofeed al-Husaana, al-Emadi announced on Tuesday the launch of projects to rebuild 1,000 homes destroyed by war in the region.
Qatar pledged $1 billion at an October donor conference in Cairo, almost a fifth of the total $5.4 billion promised in international aid.
Al-Emadi also noted that Qatar strives to solve the electricity crisis in Gaza. Solving the electricity crisis needs a political decision from the reconciliation government, he explained. He said that talks are on providing a line of 120 MW, from Egypt 32 MW, and the company is to provide 60MW by working with gas instead of industrial diesel.
Gaza needs 400 MW of electricity around 24 hours, while in fact just a 210 MW is provided.
Photo: Gaza child in the rubble of his home. Source: PNN archive.
