23 feb 2014
The Hamas government has said it plans to let private contractors take over the running of the Palestinian territory's border crossings with Egypt and Israel.
"The government is to give the private sector the opportunity to handle the technical management of crossing points from the Gaza Strip," Hamas deputy prime minister Ziad al-Zaza told AFP on Saturday and said that a commission of seven businessmen would be dedicated to the project.
"Supervision of all terminals will be under government control," said Zaza, who is also finance minister.
The coastal strip, whose air and sea lanes are blocked by Israel, has three land crossings; Erez and Kerem Shalom with Israel and Rafah with Egypt.
Kerem Shalom is for goods only, while Erez and Rafah are for passenger traffic.
Although Hamas ousted the western-backed Palestinian Authority from Gaza in 2007 PA officials continue to coordinate the work of the crossings with Israel.
Israel does not have direct political or economic ties with Hamas which it defines as "a terrorist organisation."
Hamas MPs, who hold the majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament -- met in special session in a tent at Rafah on Sunday to demand that Egypt lift border crossing restrictions.
"We are here in front of the Rafah terminal to ask our brothers in Egypt to open Rafah to goods and persons," deputy parliament speaker Ahmad Bahar said.
Egypt imposed the restrictions as part of a campaign by its security forces against "jihadists" in the lawless Sinai Peninsula, which borders Gaza and Israel.
Exit through Israel is strictly controlled, with permits mainly limited to "medical and humanitarian" cases.
Entry of goods to Gaza from Israel is also limited, with passage barred to a range of "controlled items" which Israel deems could be used by militants to make weapons or build fortifications.
"The government is to give the private sector the opportunity to handle the technical management of crossing points from the Gaza Strip," Hamas deputy prime minister Ziad al-Zaza told AFP on Saturday and said that a commission of seven businessmen would be dedicated to the project.
"Supervision of all terminals will be under government control," said Zaza, who is also finance minister.
The coastal strip, whose air and sea lanes are blocked by Israel, has three land crossings; Erez and Kerem Shalom with Israel and Rafah with Egypt.
Kerem Shalom is for goods only, while Erez and Rafah are for passenger traffic.
Although Hamas ousted the western-backed Palestinian Authority from Gaza in 2007 PA officials continue to coordinate the work of the crossings with Israel.
Israel does not have direct political or economic ties with Hamas which it defines as "a terrorist organisation."
Hamas MPs, who hold the majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament -- met in special session in a tent at Rafah on Sunday to demand that Egypt lift border crossing restrictions.
"We are here in front of the Rafah terminal to ask our brothers in Egypt to open Rafah to goods and persons," deputy parliament speaker Ahmad Bahar said.
Egypt imposed the restrictions as part of a campaign by its security forces against "jihadists" in the lawless Sinai Peninsula, which borders Gaza and Israel.
Exit through Israel is strictly controlled, with permits mainly limited to "medical and humanitarian" cases.
Entry of goods to Gaza from Israel is also limited, with passage barred to a range of "controlled items" which Israel deems could be used by militants to make weapons or build fortifications.
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A national committee has staged a sit-in near the Rafah border gate in northern Gaza Strip to protest the 7-year-long blockade of the enclave. “National Committee to Lift the Siege” organized the sit-in which is aimed to draw attention to the closure of the Rafah crossing and the Israel’s imposed noose around the strip, Sami al-Amassi, a spokesman for the committee, told ALRAY.
The sit-in events shall span over the current week and may be extended for the next week, he added. Today witnessed the Palestinian Legislation Council members holding the weekly meeting in the sit-in camp, to be followed by a rally for women on Monday, the weekly meeting of the Palestinian government on Tuesday, and a rally for Gaza students and ill people on Wednesday, he said. |
Hamas MP Salah Bardawil demanded the UN to assume their legal and moral responsibility to fully lift the blockade, calling on the Security Council and the UN General Assembly, and UN Human Rights Council to hold special meetings on the blockade of Gaza.
“We appeal to the Arab parliaments to lobby on their governments for suing the Israeli occupation’s political and military leadership for committing the crime of blockade against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” he added.
Gaza has been under an extreme economic blockade since 2007. Israel since was allowing limited quantities of construction supplies destined for international projects.
The smuggling tunnels which Gazans were forced to rely on for their needs mainly of building material and fuels were semi-completely destroyed following Egyptian military’s disposition of president Morsi in July 2013.
The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah crossing only for two loose days on a 10-day basis since recent times.
Ministry of Interior has been closing applications for travel for over a month so far after the number of applications reached 5000.
“We appeal to the Arab parliaments to lobby on their governments for suing the Israeli occupation’s political and military leadership for committing the crime of blockade against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” he added.
Gaza has been under an extreme economic blockade since 2007. Israel since was allowing limited quantities of construction supplies destined for international projects.
The smuggling tunnels which Gazans were forced to rely on for their needs mainly of building material and fuels were semi-completely destroyed following Egyptian military’s disposition of president Morsi in July 2013.
The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah crossing only for two loose days on a 10-day basis since recent times.
Ministry of Interior has been closing applications for travel for over a month so far after the number of applications reached 5000.
Israeli forces on Sunday closed two checkpoints in the northern West Bank, forcing cars to take alternative routes, witnesses said.
Witnesses told Ma'an that Israeli forces closed the Huwarra and Zaatara checkpoints south of Nablus in order to examine suspicious items in the area.
Bomb experts arrived at the scene to examine the objects, the witnesses said, without elaborating.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said that two Palestinians near the Yizhar settlement south of Nablus were found carrying "six IEDs," though she could not immediately confirm whether this caused the checkpoint closures.
The spokeswoman said the Palestinians were "questioned at the scene" and that the "IEDs were detonated in a controlled manner."
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
Witnesses told Ma'an that Israeli forces closed the Huwarra and Zaatara checkpoints south of Nablus in order to examine suspicious items in the area.
Bomb experts arrived at the scene to examine the objects, the witnesses said, without elaborating.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said that two Palestinians near the Yizhar settlement south of Nablus were found carrying "six IEDs," though she could not immediately confirm whether this caused the checkpoint closures.
The spokeswoman said the Palestinians were "questioned at the scene" and that the "IEDs were detonated in a controlled manner."
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
The higher national committee for breaking the siege on Sunday set up a sit-in tent near the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip to protest Egypt's involvement in the Israeli blockade on the Palestinians in the Strip and the passivity of the international community towards the suffering of the population. In a news conference held outside the tent, senior Hamas official Hammad Al-Raqab stated that Egypt's closure of the Rafah border crossing does not befit its historical positions towards the Palestinian people.
Raqab added that the blockade hit all service sectors in Gaza and exacerbated the suffering of patients due to an acute shortage of medical supplies.
He urged the Arab League to execute the resolution it had taken in 2006 to break Gaza siege, and demanded the international community to assume its humanitarian role in alleviating the suffering of the population in Gaza.
Raqab added that the blockade hit all service sectors in Gaza and exacerbated the suffering of patients due to an acute shortage of medical supplies.
He urged the Arab League to execute the resolution it had taken in 2006 to break Gaza siege, and demanded the international community to assume its humanitarian role in alleviating the suffering of the population in Gaza.
22 feb 2014
The Gaza Strip Ministry of the Interior said on Saturday that Egyptian authorities had agreed to open the Rafah crossing on Sunday morning in order to allow pilgrims and those stranded in Egypt to travel over the next two days.
The ministry said in a statement that the Egyptian side had informed them of their intention to open the crossing to allow the first batch of three groups of pilgrims to cross en route to Mecca as well as to allow the return of another group of pilgrims.
The crossing, which is the sole connection between the Gaza Strip's 1.5 million inhabitants and outside world, would also open to allow Palestinians currently stuck inside Egypt to return home.
However, there was no indication as to whether Egypt would allow humanitarian cases from the Gaza Strip to cross into Egypt.
The Rafah crossing is currently closed to traffic except for exceptional circumstances, meaning that travel abroad for Gaza Strip residents is only sporadically possible.
The last time the crossing opened was two weeks ago for a period of three days, during which 1,922 people were able to leave Gaza.
Until July of this year, tunnels connecting Gaza to Egypt provided a vital lifeline for the territory amidst the otherwise crippling Israeli blockade.
The blockade has been in place since 2006, and it has limited imports and exports and led to a major economic decline and wide-reaching humanitarian crisis.
In the last year, however, the situation had greatly improved, as the tunnels to Egypt witnessed a brisk trade following the Egyptian Revolution.
Since the coup against Egyptian president Morsi in July, however, Egypt has strictly enforced the blockade and targeted the tunnels, destroying more than 90 percent of them.
The ministry said in a statement that the Egyptian side had informed them of their intention to open the crossing to allow the first batch of three groups of pilgrims to cross en route to Mecca as well as to allow the return of another group of pilgrims.
The crossing, which is the sole connection between the Gaza Strip's 1.5 million inhabitants and outside world, would also open to allow Palestinians currently stuck inside Egypt to return home.
However, there was no indication as to whether Egypt would allow humanitarian cases from the Gaza Strip to cross into Egypt.
The Rafah crossing is currently closed to traffic except for exceptional circumstances, meaning that travel abroad for Gaza Strip residents is only sporadically possible.
The last time the crossing opened was two weeks ago for a period of three days, during which 1,922 people were able to leave Gaza.
Until July of this year, tunnels connecting Gaza to Egypt provided a vital lifeline for the territory amidst the otherwise crippling Israeli blockade.
The blockade has been in place since 2006, and it has limited imports and exports and led to a major economic decline and wide-reaching humanitarian crisis.
In the last year, however, the situation had greatly improved, as the tunnels to Egypt witnessed a brisk trade following the Egyptian Revolution.
Since the coup against Egyptian president Morsi in July, however, Egypt has strictly enforced the blockade and targeted the tunnels, destroying more than 90 percent of them.
20 feb 2014
The Palestinian government welcomed the latest remarks made by Egyptian foreign minister Nabil Fahmi about the need for ending the blockade imposed on Gaza, and urged Cairo to take positive steps in this regard. Basem Naim, the advisor to the Palestinian premier for foreign affairs, called on Egypt to turn its words into action through lifting its restrictions on the movement of individuals and goods at the Rafah border crossing.
Naim reiterated his government's keenness on Egypt's security and stability, and stressed that the improvement of the humanitarian situation in Gaza is a strategic interest for Egypt.
Fahmi had made his remarks during a recent meeting with commissioner-general of the UNRWA Filippo Grandi.
The minister also expressed his country's concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Naim reiterated his government's keenness on Egypt's security and stability, and stressed that the improvement of the humanitarian situation in Gaza is a strategic interest for Egypt.
Fahmi had made his remarks during a recent meeting with commissioner-general of the UNRWA Filippo Grandi.
The minister also expressed his country's concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Israeli soldiers manning a checkpoint south of Bethlehem seized a large sum of money from a Palestinian after stopping and searching his car, security sources said Thursday.
They said Faisal Badarin, 36, was stopped at a flying checkpoint at the southern entrance of al-Khader where soldiers confiscated 5,000 Jordanian dinars (app. $7,000) and an additional 5,000 Israeli shekels (app. $1,400) he had on him.
They said Faisal Badarin, 36, was stopped at a flying checkpoint at the southern entrance of al-Khader where soldiers confiscated 5,000 Jordanian dinars (app. $7,000) and an additional 5,000 Israeli shekels (app. $1,400) he had on him.
19 feb 2014
Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper has said that for the first time since the 1980s Egyptian forces have reinforced their presence and started to develop surveillance systems on the border with the occupied Palestinian territories.
The moves have been coordinated with the Israeli occupation army. The Hebrew-language newspaper pointed out that the Egyptians are acting in the light of increased security threats across the Sinai Peninsula. It pointed out that the reinforcements include establishing control points and concrete towers along the border region near the wall which was built by Israel last year.
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, it is expected that the new control points will provide better protection for Egyptian soldiers armed only with light weapons and anti-tank missiles. Some watchtowers have already been built in place of the small encampments used previously.
It was the lack of suitable defensive measures in such camps which has been blamed for the loss of life at the hands of armed groups in northern Sinai.
The moves have been coordinated with the Israeli occupation army. The Hebrew-language newspaper pointed out that the Egyptians are acting in the light of increased security threats across the Sinai Peninsula. It pointed out that the reinforcements include establishing control points and concrete towers along the border region near the wall which was built by Israel last year.
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, it is expected that the new control points will provide better protection for Egyptian soldiers armed only with light weapons and anti-tank missiles. Some watchtowers have already been built in place of the small encampments used previously.
It was the lack of suitable defensive measures in such camps which has been blamed for the loss of life at the hands of armed groups in northern Sinai.
The Palestinian terminal in Rafah border area
Palestinian official statistics showed that in the past year 2013, the Rafah border crossing was closed for 101 days, while the number of its closure days reached 96 since June 30.
Annual Statistics, issued by General Administration of crossings at the Ministry of Interior and National Security in Gaza, showed that the number of departures via the Rafah crossing in 2013 has only reached 152 thousand and 278 passengers, which is a small number compared to the year 2012, due the repeated closure of the crossing, especially during the second half of the year.
Rafah crossing has been partially opened since the first of last July after the Egyptian military coup.
Meanwhile, thousands of people have been trapped in the Gaza Strip because of the continued closure of the crossing, which has caused a real humanitarian catastrophe.
Palestinian official statistics showed that in the past year 2013, the Rafah border crossing was closed for 101 days, while the number of its closure days reached 96 since June 30.
Annual Statistics, issued by General Administration of crossings at the Ministry of Interior and National Security in Gaza, showed that the number of departures via the Rafah crossing in 2013 has only reached 152 thousand and 278 passengers, which is a small number compared to the year 2012, due the repeated closure of the crossing, especially during the second half of the year.
Rafah crossing has been partially opened since the first of last July after the Egyptian military coup.
Meanwhile, thousands of people have been trapped in the Gaza Strip because of the continued closure of the crossing, which has caused a real humanitarian catastrophe.
Egyptian authorities closed Rafah crossing for eight consecutive days without a reason, Director General of borders and Crossings in Gaza Maher Abu Sabha said on Wednesday.
He indicated that they contacted the Egyptian side to open the crossing for humanitarian cases, but no positive responses recieved until now.
Thousands of passengers stranded at the border as a result of the continuing closure of the crossing, he said.
Rafah crossing considered the main crossing for 1.8 million Gazans.
There have been frequent closures of the Rafah terminal in recent months due to Egyptian coup. Since then, Egyptian authorities opened it two or three times a month only for patients, students and people who hold residential lease agreement.
He indicated that they contacted the Egyptian side to open the crossing for humanitarian cases, but no positive responses recieved until now.
Thousands of passengers stranded at the border as a result of the continuing closure of the crossing, he said.
Rafah crossing considered the main crossing for 1.8 million Gazans.
There have been frequent closures of the Rafah terminal in recent months due to Egyptian coup. Since then, Egyptian authorities opened it two or three times a month only for patients, students and people who hold residential lease agreement.
17 feb 2014
The Ayyad family, who owns Cliff Hotel located in Abu Dis to the southeast of Jerusalem, managed on Sunday to stop the construction of a stretch in the segregation wall near the hotel, which if completed would have rendered that property under Israeli control, according to Wadi Hilweh Information Center. The center said the Ayyad family had to go to court to stop the construction after the army placed large cement blocks near the hotel to build the section of wall left unfinished when the family contested the route in court.
The family says Israel wants to build the wall around the hotel to incorporate it into the Jerusalem side and eventually take it over for settlement purposes.
It tried several attempts to take over the hotel claiming at one point that it was absentee property because the owners live in the West Bank.
The family says the Israeli High Court has not yet ruled on the route and therefore the unfinished section cannot be completed before then.
The hotel is currently used as a border police base after Israel took it over on security claims.
The family is trying to regain control of the hotel, which suffered extensive damage after it was taken over by the border police.
The family says Israel wants to build the wall around the hotel to incorporate it into the Jerusalem side and eventually take it over for settlement purposes.
It tried several attempts to take over the hotel claiming at one point that it was absentee property because the owners live in the West Bank.
The family says the Israeli High Court has not yet ruled on the route and therefore the unfinished section cannot be completed before then.
The hotel is currently used as a border police base after Israel took it over on security claims.
The family is trying to regain control of the hotel, which suffered extensive damage after it was taken over by the border police.
16 feb 2014
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The Israeli occupation bulldozers built a new wall around “Cliff” Hotel to be added to the Separation Wall in the area of Abu Dis in order to confiscate it and have complete control over it.
The family of Ayyad, owners of the Hotel, were able to stop the works around the Hotel after their lawyer submitted an urgent appeal to the court especially that the case of the hotel is still in the Israeli Supreme court. The head of the committee to protect land in Abu Dis, lawyer Bassam Bahar, denounced the continuous |
efforts to confiscate the hotel which began in 1996 using different methods, and said: “The construction of the wall around the hotel and putting cement blocks is an anticipation of the Israeli Supreme court’s decision regarding the Hotel.”
He pointed out that the court issued a decision a month ago to confiscate 1400 Dunoms for security and public reasons, and a special committee met three days ago to discuss the possibility of building a wall in the area based on the last confiscation decision.
He pointed out that the court issued a decision a month ago to confiscate 1400 Dunoms for security and public reasons, and a special committee met three days ago to discuss the possibility of building a wall in the area based on the last confiscation decision.
Anticipating a negative decision by the Israeli Supreme Court, Israeli authorities on Sunday started to build a section of its separation wall around a hotel in East Jerusalem.
Locals told Ma’an that bulldozers escorted by large numbers of Israeli troops arrived in the morning and started to erect a wall made of huge T-shaped concrete blocks around the Cliff Hotel.
The hotel will be separated from the East Jerusalem Palestinian town of Abu Dis to be eventually confiscated under Israel’s law of absentee property.
The Cliff Hotel is a four-floor building 50 meters from the Palestinian parliament in Abu Dis.
Its original owners are members of the Ayad family, have been waging a legal battle to stop construction of the stretch of the separation wall around the hotel. All the owners hold Palestinian identity cards.
Since 1996, the Israeli authorities have been trying to confiscate the hotel and take control of it for several reasons, says lawyer Bassam Bahar who has been defending Palestinian lands in Abu Dis.
He highlighted that the Israelis claimed the hotel belonged to a Jewish family and would be annexed under absentee property law. Sometimes, they cite security pretexts to confiscate the hotel, he added.
The lawyer highlighted that the Israeli authorities started construction work around the Cliff Sunday morning because they anticipate the Supreme Court to rule against an alternative route. He added that the Israeli attorney general had decided that the hotel was not an absentee property.
Locals told Ma’an that bulldozers escorted by large numbers of Israeli troops arrived in the morning and started to erect a wall made of huge T-shaped concrete blocks around the Cliff Hotel.
The hotel will be separated from the East Jerusalem Palestinian town of Abu Dis to be eventually confiscated under Israel’s law of absentee property.
The Cliff Hotel is a four-floor building 50 meters from the Palestinian parliament in Abu Dis.
Its original owners are members of the Ayad family, have been waging a legal battle to stop construction of the stretch of the separation wall around the hotel. All the owners hold Palestinian identity cards.
Since 1996, the Israeli authorities have been trying to confiscate the hotel and take control of it for several reasons, says lawyer Bassam Bahar who has been defending Palestinian lands in Abu Dis.
He highlighted that the Israelis claimed the hotel belonged to a Jewish family and would be annexed under absentee property law. Sometimes, they cite security pretexts to confiscate the hotel, he added.
The lawyer highlighted that the Israeli authorities started construction work around the Cliff Sunday morning because they anticipate the Supreme Court to rule against an alternative route. He added that the Israeli attorney general had decided that the hotel was not an absentee property.
Egyptian authorities closed Rafah crossing for five days in a row, Director General of Borders and Crossings in Gaza Maher Abu Sabha said. He called on Egypt to open the crossing permanently to reduce the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Abu Sabha confirmed in a statement that he contacted the Egyptian side, demanding them to open the crossing for humanitarian cases.
Rafah crossing considered the main crossing for 1.8 million Gazans.
There have been frequent closures of the Rafah terminal in recent months due to Egyptian coup. Since then, Egyptian authorities opened it two or three times a month only for patients, students and people who hold residential lease agreement.
Abu Sabha confirmed in a statement that he contacted the Egyptian side, demanding them to open the crossing for humanitarian cases.
Rafah crossing considered the main crossing for 1.8 million Gazans.
There have been frequent closures of the Rafah terminal in recent months due to Egyptian coup. Since then, Egyptian authorities opened it two or three times a month only for patients, students and people who hold residential lease agreement.
By: BILL FLETCHER JR.
“It felt like being in a huge prison.” That was how I responded to questions I was asked in January after returning from a visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Yes, there were other ways of describing the experience. The land is beautiful; the people are generous; and with every glance, one sees reminders of a history dating back thousands of years.
Yet, the feeling that one gets in one’s stomach is of being imprisoned; of being vulnerable; of not knowing. And this was the reality felt by African-American visitors to the Holy Land. The actuality for Palestinians is far worse.
At every turn you never seemed to lose sight of the ignominious “separation wall,” as the Israeli government politely references it; the “apartheid wall” as much of the rest of the world describes it. The wall with guard/sniper towers, running, not along the Green Line (the armistice line that was agreed upon in 1949), but through almost whatever terrain the Israelis choose for it go. A wall that frequently separates Palestinian farmers from their own land, making it next to impossible for them to consistently cultivate their crops.
My delegation and I found it both frightening and sadly familiar that the Palestinians had few rights that the Israeli authorities were bound to respect. Land has been seized—illegally–by the Israeli authorities, allegedly for security reasons, or sometimes, quite ironically, for archeological reasons. And it is never returned to the Palestinians, instead turned over to Israeli settlers.
Source: New Pitsburgh Courier
“It felt like being in a huge prison.” That was how I responded to questions I was asked in January after returning from a visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Yes, there were other ways of describing the experience. The land is beautiful; the people are generous; and with every glance, one sees reminders of a history dating back thousands of years.
Yet, the feeling that one gets in one’s stomach is of being imprisoned; of being vulnerable; of not knowing. And this was the reality felt by African-American visitors to the Holy Land. The actuality for Palestinians is far worse.
At every turn you never seemed to lose sight of the ignominious “separation wall,” as the Israeli government politely references it; the “apartheid wall” as much of the rest of the world describes it. The wall with guard/sniper towers, running, not along the Green Line (the armistice line that was agreed upon in 1949), but through almost whatever terrain the Israelis choose for it go. A wall that frequently separates Palestinian farmers from their own land, making it next to impossible for them to consistently cultivate their crops.
My delegation and I found it both frightening and sadly familiar that the Palestinians had few rights that the Israeli authorities were bound to respect. Land has been seized—illegally–by the Israeli authorities, allegedly for security reasons, or sometimes, quite ironically, for archeological reasons. And it is never returned to the Palestinians, instead turned over to Israeli settlers.
Source: New Pitsburgh Courier
15 feb 2014
Egyptian border forces destroyed 10 tunnels and seven homes in the Sinai on Saturday as part of new campaign to create a buffer zone along the border with the Gaza Strip that would extend 500 meters in some places.
The campaign began with a military operation in the border town of Rafah, where tunnels leading into the Gaza Strip were targeted in the neighborhoods of al-Brahma, al-Sarsuriya, Salahudeen, al-Helwat, and Zoraba, an Egyptian security source said.
The security source added that the tunnels were destroyed and the homes they were located in were subsequently blown up.
He explained that the move was part of a wider campaign to set up a buffer zone along the border with Gaza in Rafah that would extend 300 meters in populated areas and 500 meters in open areas.
The zone would potentially threaten dozens of homes in the city, which has been divided by the international border since the 1982 Camp David peace accord. Thousands were displaced in the early 2000s when Israel demolished homes to build a buffer zone on the Palestinian side.
The Egyptian security source also told Ma'an that Egyptian army forces on Saturday successfully foiled three explosive devices placed in military vehicles and armored cars in Sheikh Zuwaid, including two that were placed near the Sheikh Zuweid Hospital and a third on the road to a nearby village south of Sheikh Zuewid.
He added that army forces raided "militant strongholds" in the village of al-Kharuba south of Sheikh Zuweid and destroyed three homes and five "hideouts."
They also destroyed an olive grove that was reportedly used to hide militants following attacks taking place on the nearby road to Rafah International crossing.
Egyptian armed forces launched large scale military action against militants in the Sinai Peninsula earlier in September, in what officials described as the largest mobilization of force in the area since the 1973 war with Israel. The military action comes in the wake of rising instability and almost daily attacks in the region, following a July 3 coup by the Egyptian military which unseated President Mohammad Morsi.
Until July of this year, tunnels connecting Gaza to Egypt provided a vital lifeline for the territory amidst the otherwise crippling Israeli blockade. The blockade has been in place since 2006, and it has limited imports and exports and led to a major economic decline and wide-reaching humanitarian crisis.
Since the coup against Egyptian president Morsi in July, however, Egypt has strictly enforced the blockade and targeted the tunnels.
Egyptian Maj. Gen. Ahmad Ibrahim said in October that nearly 800 tunnels had been destroyed since the beginning of the year at that time, while Rafah officials estimated in September that these operations had demolished 95% of previously existing tunnels.
The campaign began with a military operation in the border town of Rafah, where tunnels leading into the Gaza Strip were targeted in the neighborhoods of al-Brahma, al-Sarsuriya, Salahudeen, al-Helwat, and Zoraba, an Egyptian security source said.
The security source added that the tunnels were destroyed and the homes they were located in were subsequently blown up.
He explained that the move was part of a wider campaign to set up a buffer zone along the border with Gaza in Rafah that would extend 300 meters in populated areas and 500 meters in open areas.
The zone would potentially threaten dozens of homes in the city, which has been divided by the international border since the 1982 Camp David peace accord. Thousands were displaced in the early 2000s when Israel demolished homes to build a buffer zone on the Palestinian side.
The Egyptian security source also told Ma'an that Egyptian army forces on Saturday successfully foiled three explosive devices placed in military vehicles and armored cars in Sheikh Zuwaid, including two that were placed near the Sheikh Zuweid Hospital and a third on the road to a nearby village south of Sheikh Zuewid.
He added that army forces raided "militant strongholds" in the village of al-Kharuba south of Sheikh Zuweid and destroyed three homes and five "hideouts."
They also destroyed an olive grove that was reportedly used to hide militants following attacks taking place on the nearby road to Rafah International crossing.
Egyptian armed forces launched large scale military action against militants in the Sinai Peninsula earlier in September, in what officials described as the largest mobilization of force in the area since the 1973 war with Israel. The military action comes in the wake of rising instability and almost daily attacks in the region, following a July 3 coup by the Egyptian military which unseated President Mohammad Morsi.
Until July of this year, tunnels connecting Gaza to Egypt provided a vital lifeline for the territory amidst the otherwise crippling Israeli blockade. The blockade has been in place since 2006, and it has limited imports and exports and led to a major economic decline and wide-reaching humanitarian crisis.
Since the coup against Egyptian president Morsi in July, however, Egypt has strictly enforced the blockade and targeted the tunnels.
Egyptian Maj. Gen. Ahmad Ibrahim said in October that nearly 800 tunnels had been destroyed since the beginning of the year at that time, while Rafah officials estimated in September that these operations had demolished 95% of previously existing tunnels.
13 feb 2014
Supreme National Committee to Lift the Siege on Gaza and the Legislative Council organized Wednesday a sit-in in solidarity with the fishermen in Gaza port. MP in the Legislative Council, Jamal Nassar, said during the sit-in, the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip is unjust, blaming the world for their silence.
"Silence about Gaza siege is considered as participation in it,” said Nassar, calling the world to shoulder its responsibilities to lift the unjust siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Nassar added: " the whole world should understand the Palestinian people will not give up their rights and constants. They will continue their legitimate resistance until getting freedom and liberating their land and holy places from the criminal occupation ."
For his part, Head of Fishermen Union, Nizar Ayyash, condemnedthe continued firing on Palestinian fishing boats by the Israeli occupation, which led to the death of many, in addition to causing substantial damage to their boats and belongings .
Ayyash appealed the local, Arab and international media to expose the daily violations by the Israeli occupation against against the Palestinian fishermen.
"Silence about Gaza siege is considered as participation in it,” said Nassar, calling the world to shoulder its responsibilities to lift the unjust siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Nassar added: " the whole world should understand the Palestinian people will not give up their rights and constants. They will continue their legitimate resistance until getting freedom and liberating their land and holy places from the criminal occupation ."
For his part, Head of Fishermen Union, Nizar Ayyash, condemnedthe continued firing on Palestinian fishing boats by the Israeli occupation, which led to the death of many, in addition to causing substantial damage to their boats and belongings .
Ayyash appealed the local, Arab and international media to expose the daily violations by the Israeli occupation against against the Palestinian fishermen.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ghazi Hamad confirmed that Turkey insists on the necessity of lifting the siege on Gaza despite intransigence from Israeli occupation. He expected Turkey to take practical steps towards that, adding, “Turkish people supported strongly Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision; this is proved on the ground during the last few years.”
“ The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Gaza exerted great efforts and contacted several countries concerned with the Palestinian people to press on Israel, demanding lifting the blockade,” he pointed out.
Turkish PM said on Wednesday that he demanded a "written protocol" from Israel pledging it will lift the siege on the Gaza Strip as a condition for signing a reconciliation agreement and normalizing relations with Israel.
Senior Israeli official said Wednesday,” lifting Gaza blockade out of question.”
“ The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Gaza exerted great efforts and contacted several countries concerned with the Palestinian people to press on Israel, demanding lifting the blockade,” he pointed out.
Turkish PM said on Wednesday that he demanded a "written protocol" from Israel pledging it will lift the siege on the Gaza Strip as a condition for signing a reconciliation agreement and normalizing relations with Israel.
Senior Israeli official said Wednesday,” lifting Gaza blockade out of question.”
Palestinian and Israeli civil liaison departments reached a deal on Thursday to allow patients from Gaza to enter Israel for medical treatment after earlier being denied access because their referral letters contained the "State of Palestine" logo.
Palestinian officials told Ma'an that the official met Wednesday afternoon at the Erez crossing to try to find a temporary solution for patients seeking medical care.
A deal was reached to cross out the the words "State of Palestine" on all official referral letters in order to allow patients entry to Israel, the officials said.
Over 190 patients were eventually allowed to cross into Israel and travel to the West Bank for medical treatment after the logo was blurred out.
On Wednesday, Seventy patients who were scheduled to travel to the West Bank via the Erez crossing for treatment were denied entry because they presented documents including the "State of Palestine" on the letterheads.
"This is a political decision from the Israelis to exert pressure in the negotiations," a senior Palestinian official at the Gaza district coordination office said.
A spokesman for COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry unit responsible for coordinating civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, confirmed that the permits had been refused because they were submitted on stationary bearing the problematic logo.
The PLO declared independence unilaterally in 1988 and was recognized as a "non-member observer state" by the United Nations in 2012.
More than 130 countries today recognize Palestine's existence as a state, but Israel refuses to do so.
Palestinian officials told Ma'an that the official met Wednesday afternoon at the Erez crossing to try to find a temporary solution for patients seeking medical care.
A deal was reached to cross out the the words "State of Palestine" on all official referral letters in order to allow patients entry to Israel, the officials said.
Over 190 patients were eventually allowed to cross into Israel and travel to the West Bank for medical treatment after the logo was blurred out.
On Wednesday, Seventy patients who were scheduled to travel to the West Bank via the Erez crossing for treatment were denied entry because they presented documents including the "State of Palestine" on the letterheads.
"This is a political decision from the Israelis to exert pressure in the negotiations," a senior Palestinian official at the Gaza district coordination office said.
A spokesman for COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry unit responsible for coordinating civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, confirmed that the permits had been refused because they were submitted on stationary bearing the problematic logo.
The PLO declared independence unilaterally in 1988 and was recognized as a "non-member observer state" by the United Nations in 2012.
More than 130 countries today recognize Palestine's existence as a state, but Israel refuses to do so.
The Israeli Government of Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that Tel Aviv does not agree to the Turkish demand to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip in exchange for a reconciliation agreement between Tel Aviv and Ankara.
The Turkish demand came on Tuesday when Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stated during a press conference in Ankara that his country received an apology from Israel, and talks for compensating the families of nine Turkish peace activists, killed by the Israeli Navy while sailing to Gaza in 2010, are still ongoing.
The Turkish solidarity ship, Mavi Marmara, part of the Freedom Flotilla that was sailing to Gaza to challenge the illegitimate Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian supplies, was attacked in international water, and nine Turkish activists were killed by Israeli fire.
Erdogan said that lifting the deadly blockade on Gaza is one of the conditions that his country will not drop, and that without lifting this siege, there cannot be normalization with Israel.
Israeli daily, Haaretz, has reported that the Office of Netanyahu said “the Turkish conditions will not be met”, explaining that Tel Aviv will not lift the siege on the coastal region, and will never, sign a written agreement pledging to lift the siege.
The statements came after Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, stated last Monday that Tel Aviv and Ankara are very close to signing an agreement normalizing the relations between the two countries.
In a study published by Haaretz a week ago, Israel made an offer to pay the families of the nine Turkish victims, and those hurt in the attack, $20 Million, and that Netanyahu even authorized his envoys to pay up to $23 Million.
Tel Aviv is seeking to have Turkey drop lawsuits filed against its officers involved in the attack, and to normalize relations between the two countries.
It also wants Turkey to pass a law that would cancel all pending lawsuits files against it, and to ensure the law blocs any future legal actions, locally and internationally.
Haaretz said Tel Aviv does not only want a symbolic normalization of relations, but also full relations, including diplomatic talks, mutual visits of officials and ministerial talks.
PM Erdogan, Condition for Negotiations: Lift the Gaza Blockade
Chris Carlson - IMEMC & Agencies, Wed, 12 Feb 2014 17:30:31
Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, demanded that Israel lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip in order to secure his signature on an agreement between the two countries.
According to the Palestinian News Network (PNN), Erdogan said, in a press conference held in Ankara with his Spanish counterpart Mariano Rakhoi, Wednesday night, that significant progress had been made in the talks with Israel.
Israel Channel 2 quoted an Israeli official as saying that Israel will not agree to ease the Gaza blockade as a part of the deal it is negotiating with Turkey.
Relations between Ankara and Jerusalem became strained after a raid on the Turkish-owned vessel, the Mavi Marmara, in May of 2010, to enforce a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Nine Turkish citizens were killed in the raid.
The Turkish demand came on Tuesday when Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stated during a press conference in Ankara that his country received an apology from Israel, and talks for compensating the families of nine Turkish peace activists, killed by the Israeli Navy while sailing to Gaza in 2010, are still ongoing.
The Turkish solidarity ship, Mavi Marmara, part of the Freedom Flotilla that was sailing to Gaza to challenge the illegitimate Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian supplies, was attacked in international water, and nine Turkish activists were killed by Israeli fire.
Erdogan said that lifting the deadly blockade on Gaza is one of the conditions that his country will not drop, and that without lifting this siege, there cannot be normalization with Israel.
Israeli daily, Haaretz, has reported that the Office of Netanyahu said “the Turkish conditions will not be met”, explaining that Tel Aviv will not lift the siege on the coastal region, and will never, sign a written agreement pledging to lift the siege.
The statements came after Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, stated last Monday that Tel Aviv and Ankara are very close to signing an agreement normalizing the relations between the two countries.
In a study published by Haaretz a week ago, Israel made an offer to pay the families of the nine Turkish victims, and those hurt in the attack, $20 Million, and that Netanyahu even authorized his envoys to pay up to $23 Million.
Tel Aviv is seeking to have Turkey drop lawsuits filed against its officers involved in the attack, and to normalize relations between the two countries.
It also wants Turkey to pass a law that would cancel all pending lawsuits files against it, and to ensure the law blocs any future legal actions, locally and internationally.
Haaretz said Tel Aviv does not only want a symbolic normalization of relations, but also full relations, including diplomatic talks, mutual visits of officials and ministerial talks.
PM Erdogan, Condition for Negotiations: Lift the Gaza Blockade
Chris Carlson - IMEMC & Agencies, Wed, 12 Feb 2014 17:30:31
Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, demanded that Israel lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip in order to secure his signature on an agreement between the two countries.
According to the Palestinian News Network (PNN), Erdogan said, in a press conference held in Ankara with his Spanish counterpart Mariano Rakhoi, Wednesday night, that significant progress had been made in the talks with Israel.
Israel Channel 2 quoted an Israeli official as saying that Israel will not agree to ease the Gaza blockade as a part of the deal it is negotiating with Turkey.
Relations between Ankara and Jerusalem became strained after a raid on the Turkish-owned vessel, the Mavi Marmara, in May of 2010, to enforce a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Nine Turkish citizens were killed in the raid.