|
International News
|
|
Written by Samuel Sokol
|
|
Thursday, 24 June 2010 12:08 |
In a move that some in Israel are interpreting as a capitulation to external pressure, the Netanyahu administration has declared that it will ease the blockade on Gaza. Rather than ban all goods not on an approved list, Israeli authorities will “liberalize the system by which civilian goods enter Gaza†and allow the import of all supplies not expressly forbidden for security reasons.
Weapons, war material, and dual-use items described as “problematic†will continue to be confiscated. However, the importation of dual-use materials intended for approved PA-authorized projects will be expanded. In order to assure that materials such as concrete are not appropriated by Hamas forces, Israel will require international supervision of construction efforts, such as the U.N. housing development being completed in Khan Yunis.
Prime Minister Netanyahu also announced that operations at existing land crossings will be significantly expanded. According to the IDF spokesman’s office, the amount of goods to be transferred to Gaza will be increased by as much as 30 percent.
On Sunday, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories informed the Palestinian Authority that Israel increased the amount of trucks transferring humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip to 140 a day. “Israel is prepared for the transfer of goods, including goods that were not permitted to enter the Gaza Strip so far, such as kitchen utensils, certain food products, and furniture,†COGAT announced.
Israel currently inspects and transfers between twelve and fifteen thousand tons of humanitarian supplies a week through land crossings in the Western Negev.
The Netanyahu administration stated that the current plan to ease the blockade was under discussion for some time and that it was not in response to diplomatic pressure following the deaths of nine passengers aboard the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara. Nine people were killed by security forces following an attempted lynching of Israeli naval commandos sent to commandeer their vessel when it attempted to run the blockade.
Israel has come under intense censure for its actions in stopping the Gaza-bound flotilla and subsequently came under international pressure to ease or repeal the blockade.
Many nations, including the United States and the European Union, have called the blockade ineffective in loosening Hamas’ hold on the coastal territory. However, some Israeli officials disagree, with the Jerusalem Post reporting that defense officials are claiming that the “government’s decision to ease the blockade on the Gaza Strip will make it difficult for Israel to use its leverage over Hamas to free Gilad Shalit, cease terrorist activity, and hold reconciliation talks with Fatah.â€
When asked if he felt that Israeli restrictions helped to further Israeli policy goals, President Shimon Peres told the Los Angeles Times that “I can’t answer that, and I don’t know if that’s even important. We’d hoped for more. We’d hoped that once out of there, we would be out. But once we left Gaza, we couldn’t understand why they were bombing us.â€
According to a recent Fafo poll, support for Hamas, while still significant, has been declining in Gaza.
|
5TJT RSS Feed