UN official demands Israel allow repair of Gaza sewage system

          A top United Nations official said Thursday that Israel must immediately ease its Gaza Strip blockade to allow in spare parts and building materials to repair dilapidated sewage and water networks in the strip. Maxwell Gaylard, the UN humanitarian coordinator in the Palestinian territories, warned of a growing environmental hazard, saying about 50 to 80 million liters of raw or partially treated waste is being pumped from Gaza into the Mediterranean every day for lack of treatment plants and storage pools. He warned that the waste also threatens Israel. (21,18)