Gaza: State Department unsure if pasta counts as humanitarian aid

Missoula, Feb. 25 (Al-Masakin)–State Department spokesman Robert Wood responding to questions about Israel’s refusal to allow pasta into the Gaza strip said that he was uncertain as to whether or not pasta should be considered humanitarian assistance.  Israel is currently only permitting rice into the region.

“I…can’t tell you whether…pasta should fall… into that category of humanitarian assistance or not,” Mr. Wood said at the State Department’s daily press briefing this morning.

Mr. Wood, on behalf of the State Department, implied that the phrase “humanitarian assistance” might apply only to things which are determined to be ”absolutely necessary,” but conceded that that decision would be best left to the NGOs and other international organizations such as the UNRWA in the area, the very organizations which have complained that they are being denied that right by Israel. 

Q. “Shouldn’t all food and medicine be allowed into Gaza at this point? I mean, is that really…even a question about dual use?”

A. “I can’t give you an assessment of…whether all of these things are absolutely necessary to meet the humanitarian needs of the Gazan people. That’s better left to those international organizations and NGOs…who are in the area trying to work on this issue. I just can’t make that kind of determination,” Robert Wood said.

When asked whether or not Israel should use the denial of aid as political weapon and tie aid to the release Gilad Shalit the Spokesman refused to comment. During the Q & A that followed Mr. Wood said that he did not believe the question as to whether or not Israel ought to be deciding what kinds of food Palestinians should eat was a legitimate question.  The edited transcript of that Q & A follows.

Q. “Do you think that Israel should be tying the amount of aid and supplies getting into Gaza to the release of Corporal Gilad Shalit?  Some people in Israeli Prime Minister Olmert’s staff have complained…that aid is being used as a political tool.”

A. ”It’s not for me…to engage in these types of…issues.”

Q. “You can’t say whether…aid should be used as a political weapon?”

A. “Well, aid should never be used a political weapon. But again, I’m not engaged in those discussions that are going on with regard to, you know, the opening of the borders and with regard to the ceasefire.”

Q. “Is Israel honoring the ceasefire in terms of allowing the aid? Are they meeting their obligations?”

A. “I just can’t give you that kind of assessment at this point…But we’re going to continue to push, as I said, to get humanitarian supplies in to the people of Gaza.”

Q. “But can you imagine any circumstance under which pasta could be considered a dual-use item? Or…is rigatoni somehow going to be used as a weapon?”

A. “I’m not involved in those discussions…And I think we should leave it.”

Q. “Can you take a question on the pasta, please?”

A. “I’m not going to take the question on the pasta.”

Q. “Why?”

A. “Because it’s…We’re trying to get humanitarian supplies in…to the people in Gaza.”

Q. “Do you think food is a humanitarian supply?”

A. “Food certainly is.”

Q. “All kinds of food?”

A. “I’m not able to tell you.”

Q. “Can…you take the question of what kind of food that the U.S. thinks is a humanitarian supply?”

A. “I’m not going to take that question, because I don’t think it’s a legitimate question.”

Q. “Should Israel decide what food the Palestinians need?”

A. “I’m sorry, Elise…I’ve spoken on it.”

EHC / EHC