Belgian Development Aid Minister refused entry to Gaza
The Federal Development Aid Minister Meryame Kitir (Flemish socialist) has been refused entry to the Gaza Strip. Ms Kitir is on a visit to the Palestinian Territories this week and was to have visited Gaza on Wednesday. However, the Israeli authorities have refused to allow her to travel there. A spokesperson for Ms Kitir told journalists that “They (the Israelis) have said that they don’t authorise political visits of any kind to Gaza”.
The last Belgian ministerial visit to the Gaza Strip dates back to 2005. The then Development Aid , Minister, the late Armand De Decker (Francophone liberal), was allowed in. However, his successor Charles Michel (Francophone liberal) was denied entry to Gaza by the Israeli authorities in 2010.
Meryame Kitir had wanted to visit a waste treatment project in Gaza that Belgium is participating in through the United Nations development programme. With a visit to the Gaza Strip now off the agenda Ms Kitir will instead travel to Bethlehem on the West Bank on Wednesday