Press fury at Gaza blackout

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/6956534.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Papers in the Middle East express outrage at the cuts in the electricity supply to the Gaza Strip, caused by an EU decision to stop paying for fuel for power generation.

A Jordanian daily calls the EU move a "flagrant violation" of human rights, while an Iranian paper brands it a shameful "dirty step".

Two Palestinian papers take a more resigned attitude, describing a sad and bleak situation in which people are patiently coping.

JORDAN'S AL-RAY

Frankly speaking, if the reason for the blackout was that the EU stopped financing the purchase of fuel necessary for power generation, what happened is not up to EU standards if it considers itself a human rights advocate. At the same time it practises a flagrant violation of the simplest human rights in this besieged city... We hope the EU will review its stand immediately.

IRAN'S AL-VEFAGH

Resorting to punishing two million people in the Gaza Strip through depriving them of electricity is part of an open war on a people whose only sin is loyalty to their land and resistance against occupation... This dirty step goes beyond depriving people of electricity and the ensuing heavy losses, as it reveals clearly the extent of the hatred that Zionists and Westerners harbour towards every Muslim and Arab... Cutting electricity in Gaza should shame human rights advocates.

PALESTINIAN AL-QUDS

The Gaza Strip is sinking into darkness, threatened with a new catastrophe... West Bank towns are no better off as they are sinking in a sea of chaos and an absence of the rule of law. It is true that the economic conditions there have slightly improved, but they are still mired in poverty and unemployment... Despite all this, the people seem to be patient in facing these harassments and financial and moral complications. They will never lose hope in the future.

YAHYA RABAH IN PALESTINIAN AL-HAYAT AL-JADIDAH

Gaza City is sinking in piles of garbage that are scavenged by people looking for something to take, while others volunteer to burn the piles to get rid of them. Black smoke engulfs the city in the midst of this very hot and humid summer. With power cuts lasting for hours, the scene is a sad one.

JORDAN'S Al-RA'Y

The darkness the Gaza Strip is experiencing should be a chance to face basic realities and restore the situation to what it was two months ago. This would include the restoration of legitimacy to all suspended institutions, and dialogue between Fatah and Hamas on the grounds of respecting legitimacy and the law, and renouncing violence.

MAHIR UTHMAN IN PAN-ARAB AL-HAYAT

When Gaza was plunged into darkness it was immediately clear that this was done on purpose. This is part of a revenge strategy on the people for the Hamas takeover of the affairs of the Gaza Strip... Cutting electricity in the Gaza Strip is a dangerous crime against humanity and it is the obligation of the UN and its secretary-general to immediately intervene to end this and return electricity to the 1.5 million people who are already suffering from poverty.

<A href="http://www.monitor.bbc.co.uk">BBC Monitoring</A> selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.