10 may 2016
The Israeli authorities refused to renew the travel documents of the co-founder for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement Omar Barghouti on Tuesday, in a move activists are saying amounts to an escalated attack on Palestinian human rights defenders and proponents of the movement.
Barghouti, who lives with his family in the Israeli city of Acre, is of Palestinian descent, but born in the Gulf state of Qatar.
After marrying his wife, a Palestinian with Israeli citizenship, he was afforded permanent residency in Israel for the past 23 years.
The activist regularly travels internationally to speak at events aimed at bringing attention to BDS strategies of ending Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territory.
“Having failed to stop the growth of BDS in the mainstream, Israel is now launching a desperate and dangerous global war of repression on the movement. After losing many battles for the hearts and minds at the grassroots level, Israel and its well-oiled lobby groups are pressuring western states to implement patently anti-democratic measures that threaten civil liberties at large,” Mahmoud Nawajaa, the general coordinator of the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), said in a statement following the travel ban.
“By banning our colleague Omar Barghouti from travelling and threatening him with physical violence, Israel is showing the lengths it will go to in order to stop the spread of the non-violent BDS movement for Palestinian freedom, justice and equality."
The BDS movement was announced in July 2005 as a movement to restore Palestinian rights in accordance with international law through strategies of boycotting Israeli products and cultural institutions, divesting from companies complicit in violations against Palestinians, and implementing state sanctions against the Israeli government.
The BDS movement experienced an escalated crackdown amid an increase of activity and popular support for the movement in countries around the world.
The French government rendered the movement illegal after extending an “anti-hate speech law” to include members of national groups, and upheld the conviction of dozens of BDS proponents for their participation in the movement.
In February, the Canadian parliament passed a motion overwhelmingly condemning the BDS movement, advising the government to “condemn any and all attempts by Canadian organizations, groups, or individuals to promote the BDS movement, both here at home and abroad” -- the same day that students at McGill university in Montreal successfully passed a motion to officially support the movement.
A few days later, US President Obama signed into law a sweeping trade agreement that protects Israel from the BDS movement, opposing “politically motivated actions that penalize or otherwise limit commercial relations specifically with Israel,” referring to BDS activities.
In January, The Israeli Knesset held a conference to discuss ways to combat the BDS movement, which they claimed was a coordinated effort to delegitimize the state of Israel, and dedicated 100 million shekels (approximately $26 million) of the government’s 2016 budget to the issue.
Israeli government concerns over the BDS movement were amplified following the European Union’s decision in November to label products originating from Israeli settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. However, the EU made clear that the new regulations were not aimed at a boycott of Israeli export.
The recent decision to deny Barghouti permission to travel is seen by activists as an escalation of an ongoing attempt at criminalizing and silencing BDS leaders and proponents in Israel and Western countries that have adapted criminalization measures in their legislature.
“The Western governments that are repressing BDS activism at home are giving Israel a green light to continue its violations of international law with impunity. We urge governments, parliaments, and human rights organizations to follow Amnesty International’s lead and uphold his rights as a human rights defender under threat,” Nawajaa urged in the statement.
Responding to his travel ban, Bargouthi said: “I am unnerved but certainly undeterred by these threats. Nothing will stop me from struggling for my people’s freedom, justice and peace."
Barghouti, who lives with his family in the Israeli city of Acre, is of Palestinian descent, but born in the Gulf state of Qatar.
After marrying his wife, a Palestinian with Israeli citizenship, he was afforded permanent residency in Israel for the past 23 years.
The activist regularly travels internationally to speak at events aimed at bringing attention to BDS strategies of ending Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territory.
“Having failed to stop the growth of BDS in the mainstream, Israel is now launching a desperate and dangerous global war of repression on the movement. After losing many battles for the hearts and minds at the grassroots level, Israel and its well-oiled lobby groups are pressuring western states to implement patently anti-democratic measures that threaten civil liberties at large,” Mahmoud Nawajaa, the general coordinator of the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), said in a statement following the travel ban.
“By banning our colleague Omar Barghouti from travelling and threatening him with physical violence, Israel is showing the lengths it will go to in order to stop the spread of the non-violent BDS movement for Palestinian freedom, justice and equality."
The BDS movement was announced in July 2005 as a movement to restore Palestinian rights in accordance with international law through strategies of boycotting Israeli products and cultural institutions, divesting from companies complicit in violations against Palestinians, and implementing state sanctions against the Israeli government.
The BDS movement experienced an escalated crackdown amid an increase of activity and popular support for the movement in countries around the world.
The French government rendered the movement illegal after extending an “anti-hate speech law” to include members of national groups, and upheld the conviction of dozens of BDS proponents for their participation in the movement.
In February, the Canadian parliament passed a motion overwhelmingly condemning the BDS movement, advising the government to “condemn any and all attempts by Canadian organizations, groups, or individuals to promote the BDS movement, both here at home and abroad” -- the same day that students at McGill university in Montreal successfully passed a motion to officially support the movement.
A few days later, US President Obama signed into law a sweeping trade agreement that protects Israel from the BDS movement, opposing “politically motivated actions that penalize or otherwise limit commercial relations specifically with Israel,” referring to BDS activities.
In January, The Israeli Knesset held a conference to discuss ways to combat the BDS movement, which they claimed was a coordinated effort to delegitimize the state of Israel, and dedicated 100 million shekels (approximately $26 million) of the government’s 2016 budget to the issue.
Israeli government concerns over the BDS movement were amplified following the European Union’s decision in November to label products originating from Israeli settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. However, the EU made clear that the new regulations were not aimed at a boycott of Israeli export.
The recent decision to deny Barghouti permission to travel is seen by activists as an escalation of an ongoing attempt at criminalizing and silencing BDS leaders and proponents in Israel and Western countries that have adapted criminalization measures in their legislature.
“The Western governments that are repressing BDS activism at home are giving Israel a green light to continue its violations of international law with impunity. We urge governments, parliaments, and human rights organizations to follow Amnesty International’s lead and uphold his rights as a human rights defender under threat,” Nawajaa urged in the statement.
Responding to his travel ban, Bargouthi said: “I am unnerved but certainly undeterred by these threats. Nothing will stop me from struggling for my people’s freedom, justice and peace."
Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, welcomed the initiative presented by civil organizations network calling for the formation of a national committee in order to completely manage the file of power crisis in Gaza.
Hamas called for implementing the idea. In a statement, Hamas’s spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri pointed out that his Movement has no relations with Electricity Company at all.
“Any national committee can manage the company and bear its responsibility”, he said. Hamas had previously affirmed that it had no objection to the idea that the Palestinian energy authority takes absolute control of the power file under the condition of bearing responsibility of solving the power crisis, he affirmed.
The network manager, Amjad al-Shawwa, suggested on Sunday the establishment of a national committee to make decisions by consensus for managing the power issue in the besieged Gaza Strip including power plant, Israeli lines, and electricity distribution company.
This initiative came two days after the tragic death of the Gazan three children of al-Hindi family who died as a result of using candles as a source of light because of electricity cut off.
Hamas called for implementing the idea. In a statement, Hamas’s spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri pointed out that his Movement has no relations with Electricity Company at all.
“Any national committee can manage the company and bear its responsibility”, he said. Hamas had previously affirmed that it had no objection to the idea that the Palestinian energy authority takes absolute control of the power file under the condition of bearing responsibility of solving the power crisis, he affirmed.
The network manager, Amjad al-Shawwa, suggested on Sunday the establishment of a national committee to make decisions by consensus for managing the power issue in the besieged Gaza Strip including power plant, Israeli lines, and electricity distribution company.
This initiative came two days after the tragic death of the Gazan three children of al-Hindi family who died as a result of using candles as a source of light because of electricity cut off.
Hundreds of Palestinian citizens on Monday evening participated in a march called for by the Hamas Movement in Khan Younis, south of Gaza, in protest at the ongoing blockade and the electricity crisis.
The participants carried banners condemning the blockade and holding the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the unity government responsible for the power crisis and the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.
During the protest, senior Hamas official Younis al-Astal said that the march was organized to protest the blockade that led several homes to burn as a result of the power crisis, stressing that those involved in besieging their own people would not escape divine retribution.
Astal accused the PA and the government in Ramallah of being accomplices in the Israeli blockade on Gaza. "The government has perpetuated the division and separation between Gaza and the West Bank and left Gaza to its fate," he underlined.
The participants carried banners condemning the blockade and holding the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the unity government responsible for the power crisis and the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.
During the protest, senior Hamas official Younis al-Astal said that the march was organized to protest the blockade that led several homes to burn as a result of the power crisis, stressing that those involved in besieging their own people would not escape divine retribution.
Astal accused the PA and the government in Ramallah of being accomplices in the Israeli blockade on Gaza. "The government has perpetuated the division and separation between Gaza and the West Bank and left Gaza to its fate," he underlined.
The Palestinian interior ministry said that the Egyptian authorities would open the Rafah border crossing exceptionally before passengers for two days during the current week after 85 days of closure.
Spokesman for the ministry Iyad al-Bazem told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the Palestinian side in Gaza was officially informed that the border crossing would be open next Wednesday and Thursday.
The Egyptian authorities had opened the Rafah crossing only for several hours during three days since the start of the current year. In 2015, the crossing remained closed for 344 days.
According to Bazem, there are more than 30,000 Palestinian citizens, mostly patients, students and holders of other citizenships, registered for travel through the crossing.
The spokesman appealed to the Egyptian authorities to extend the opening of the crossing for a few more days, affirming that two days would not be enough for the travel of all registered passengers after such a long period of closure.
Spokesman for the ministry Iyad al-Bazem told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the Palestinian side in Gaza was officially informed that the border crossing would be open next Wednesday and Thursday.
The Egyptian authorities had opened the Rafah crossing only for several hours during three days since the start of the current year. In 2015, the crossing remained closed for 344 days.
According to Bazem, there are more than 30,000 Palestinian citizens, mostly patients, students and holders of other citizenships, registered for travel through the crossing.
The spokesman appealed to the Egyptian authorities to extend the opening of the crossing for a few more days, affirming that two days would not be enough for the travel of all registered passengers after such a long period of closure.
9 may 2016
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Monday morning closed the Qalandiya checkpoint, south of Ramallah, and blocked traffic before Palestinian commuters in both directions.
Eyewitnesses said that soldiers, manning the crossing, blocked movement of students, workers, and even patients heading to hospitals in occupied Jerusalem at flimsy security pretexts.
They said that tension is running high in the vicinity of the crossing and dozens of Palestinians are gathering near it.
Meanwhile, IOF soldiers last night raided Sanur village in Jenin and cut off electricity for hours without giving any reason.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that IOF soldiers raided the village after cutting off electricity and roamed its streets and erected a makeshift roadblock at its entrance.
Eyewitnesses said that soldiers, manning the crossing, blocked movement of students, workers, and even patients heading to hospitals in occupied Jerusalem at flimsy security pretexts.
They said that tension is running high in the vicinity of the crossing and dozens of Palestinians are gathering near it.
Meanwhile, IOF soldiers last night raided Sanur village in Jenin and cut off electricity for hours without giving any reason.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that IOF soldiers raided the village after cutting off electricity and roamed its streets and erected a makeshift roadblock at its entrance.
The power crisis in Gaza has led to the death of 29 Palestinians, mostly children, since 2010, a human rights group said.
According to a report released on Sunday by al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, all those victims either burned alive or suffocated to death by thick smoke after they used unsafe alternative means to light their homes as a result of prolonged power outages.
The report pointed to the tragic death of three children from al-Hindi family a few days ago in a fire caused by a candle lit in their bedroom.
The center expressed its deep regret for the continual loss of life due to the aggravating electricity problem, which it said "is directly caused by the absence of Palestinian consensus."
UNRWA asks donor countries to end power crisis in Gaza
Director of UNRWA operations in the Gaza Strip, Bo Schack, Saturday evening asked donor countries to put an end to Gaza power crisis which has been ongoing for years.
In a statement, Bo Schack described the death of three Gazan children Friday night after their home caught fire due to light candles during electricity cut off as a tragic incident.
“The accident could have been prevented," he said. The Gaza Strip has been suffering for ten years from major power crises since the Israeli occupation forces targeted the only power plant in the besieged enclave in 2006.
According to a report released on Sunday by al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, all those victims either burned alive or suffocated to death by thick smoke after they used unsafe alternative means to light their homes as a result of prolonged power outages.
The report pointed to the tragic death of three children from al-Hindi family a few days ago in a fire caused by a candle lit in their bedroom.
The center expressed its deep regret for the continual loss of life due to the aggravating electricity problem, which it said "is directly caused by the absence of Palestinian consensus."
UNRWA asks donor countries to end power crisis in Gaza
Director of UNRWA operations in the Gaza Strip, Bo Schack, Saturday evening asked donor countries to put an end to Gaza power crisis which has been ongoing for years.
In a statement, Bo Schack described the death of three Gazan children Friday night after their home caught fire due to light candles during electricity cut off as a tragic incident.
“The accident could have been prevented," he said. The Gaza Strip has been suffering for ten years from major power crises since the Israeli occupation forces targeted the only power plant in the besieged enclave in 2006.
7 may 2016
Gaza’s power crisis has led to new horrific deaths. Three children lost their lives on Friday night during a fire caused by a candle in their bedroom.
The fire, which broke out in a house belonging to al-Hindi family in Gaza City, claimed the lives of Rahaf and Yusra, four-year-old sisters, and their baby brother, Naser, and caused medium to minor burns to their brothers, Muhanad and Ali, as well as their mother.
Spokesman for the civil defense apparatus Mohamed al-Maiddana told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the fire spread through the house, causing considerable damage to its interior walls and furniture.
Dozens of similar incidents have already happened in Gaza as a result of long hours of power outages.
The energy authority in Gaza has called several times on the Palestinian government to give a full tax exemption on the fuel supplies of the power plant, but the latter still refuses that and insists on deepening the crisis.
Hamas: Israel and PA responsible for the death of three kids in Gaza
The Hamas Movement has held the Israeli occupation state and the Palestinian Authority (PA) responsible for the death of three children in a house fire in Gaza City on Friday night.
Hamas believes that the power crisis, which it blames Israel and the PA for causing it, has forced the family to use candles and thus led to the tragic death of those three children. In a press release on Saturday, spokesman for the Movement Sami Abu Zuhri mourned the three children and described them as "the martyrs of the Israeli blockade."
Abu Zuhri also blamed PA chief Mahmoud Abbas and premier Rami al-Hamdallah for the incident and accused them of pursuing a discrimination and marginalization policy against the Gaza people.
He explained that the PA-controlled government insists on imposing the blue tax on the fuel supplies used to generate power in Gaza and also refuses to submit an official request to the Israeli authorities to provide the Strip with an additional power line.
Three children from al-Hindi family lost their lives last night during a fire caused by a candle in their bedroom. Other members of the family also suffered medium to minor injuries in the incident.
Haneyya: Israel burns Gaza, the PA burns children
Ismail Haneyya, Deputy Head of Hamas’s Political Bureau, said that the Israeli occupation burns lands and homes in Gaza while the Palestinian Authority (PA) enjoys burning Palestinian children.
In a speech before thousands of Gazans in the funeral of al-Hindi three children, who died after their home caught fire by light candles, Haneyya said his movement received many phone calls after the incident from several parties in the Arab and Muslim countries.
“All attempts by conspirators have not succeeded in making Gaza submit after 10 years of siege and three Israeli successive wars.
They have nothing left to work on except for electricity power and the crossing. Gaza will not surrender," Haneyya said.
The Hamas senior leader Haneyya said that his Movement will pay the costs needed by the father of the three children for treatment, housing, living, and other needs.
The fire, which broke out in a house belonging to al-Hindi family in Gaza City, claimed the lives of Rahaf and Yusra, four-year-old sisters, and their baby brother, Naser, and caused medium to minor burns to their brothers, Muhanad and Ali, as well as their mother.
Spokesman for the civil defense apparatus Mohamed al-Maiddana told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the fire spread through the house, causing considerable damage to its interior walls and furniture.
Dozens of similar incidents have already happened in Gaza as a result of long hours of power outages.
The energy authority in Gaza has called several times on the Palestinian government to give a full tax exemption on the fuel supplies of the power plant, but the latter still refuses that and insists on deepening the crisis.
Hamas: Israel and PA responsible for the death of three kids in Gaza
The Hamas Movement has held the Israeli occupation state and the Palestinian Authority (PA) responsible for the death of three children in a house fire in Gaza City on Friday night.
Hamas believes that the power crisis, which it blames Israel and the PA for causing it, has forced the family to use candles and thus led to the tragic death of those three children. In a press release on Saturday, spokesman for the Movement Sami Abu Zuhri mourned the three children and described them as "the martyrs of the Israeli blockade."
Abu Zuhri also blamed PA chief Mahmoud Abbas and premier Rami al-Hamdallah for the incident and accused them of pursuing a discrimination and marginalization policy against the Gaza people.
He explained that the PA-controlled government insists on imposing the blue tax on the fuel supplies used to generate power in Gaza and also refuses to submit an official request to the Israeli authorities to provide the Strip with an additional power line.
Three children from al-Hindi family lost their lives last night during a fire caused by a candle in their bedroom. Other members of the family also suffered medium to minor injuries in the incident.
Haneyya: Israel burns Gaza, the PA burns children
Ismail Haneyya, Deputy Head of Hamas’s Political Bureau, said that the Israeli occupation burns lands and homes in Gaza while the Palestinian Authority (PA) enjoys burning Palestinian children.
In a speech before thousands of Gazans in the funeral of al-Hindi three children, who died after their home caught fire by light candles, Haneyya said his movement received many phone calls after the incident from several parties in the Arab and Muslim countries.
“All attempts by conspirators have not succeeded in making Gaza submit after 10 years of siege and three Israeli successive wars.
They have nothing left to work on except for electricity power and the crossing. Gaza will not surrender," Haneyya said.
The Hamas senior leader Haneyya said that his Movement will pay the costs needed by the father of the three children for treatment, housing, living, and other needs.
6 may 2016
The Israeli security authorities on Thursday prevented Palestinian lawmaker Hasan Khreishah from traveling to Sweden.
Media sources said that Khreishah, the second deputy speaker of the Palestinian legislative council (PLC), was detained for about two hours at al-Karama border crossing.
The sources added that the Shin Bet denied him entry to Jordan, where he was supposed to travel from there to Sweden in order to attend a conference for Palestinian refugees in Europe slated to be held on Saturday in Malmo city.
Media sources said that Khreishah, the second deputy speaker of the Palestinian legislative council (PLC), was detained for about two hours at al-Karama border crossing.
The sources added that the Shin Bet denied him entry to Jordan, where he was supposed to travel from there to Sweden in order to attend a conference for Palestinian refugees in Europe slated to be held on Saturday in Malmo city.
Stranded Palestinians in the Gaza Strip speak out their tragedy and sad tales, as they are helpless except for prayers to Allah and appeals to their neighbors.
Their condition is obvious to everyone as they suffer the bitterness of their illnesses and the loss of their future on one hand, and the bitterness of the siege and closure of crossings on the other hand.
Their appeals are their only way to seek the world’s help to open the Rafah border crossing.
The stranded citizens gathered in Gaza at the Unknown Soldier roundabout on Wednesday morning (4/6/2016), appealing with different slogans in the hope their messages would find listening ears on the part of the decision-makers.
Appeals
The Egyptian citizen, Umm Ammar Altlouli, 38, came to the Gaza Strip nine months ago to visit her brothers, but she has not been able yet to return to her children and her husband, as she told the PIC reporter, appealing to the Egyptian president and the Egyptian government to open the Rafah crossing the soonest.
She said with tears on her cheeks: "The people of Gaza are oppressed and did not do anything wrong to be punished by closure of the crossing for long periods of time".
She also expressed frustration for not being able to be with her children to help and support them at the onset of the new school year. "I wish I could go back to Egypt and see my children."
Oudeh Abed, a graduate student, said that students are an important segment that is affected by the continued closure of the Rafah crossing, pointing out that a large number of students had lost their scholarships because of the continued closure of the crossing.
He pointed out that there are more than 2,000 graduate students who need to travel across the Rafah crossing to complete their post-graduate studies.
30 thousand people registered to travel across Rafah
Majdi Ahmed, head of the committee of the stranded citizens, stressed that the number of people registered to travel in the border crossing committee exceeded 30 thousand people, pointing out that the Rafah crossing has been opened only for three days since the beginning of the year.
"These three days are enough only for 1,000 people to travel", he said, stressing that almost all of the registered are sick people, students or holders of non-Palestinian residencies.
Chairman of the stranded citizens committee, sent several messages, among the most important of which was a message to the Egyptian president and government demanding the immediate opening of the Rafah crossing, stressing the importance of the strategic relations between Egypt and Palestine.
Ahmad also appealed to the Palestinian Authority Chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, to shoulder his responsibility towards the Gaza Strip and its population and to adopt swift action along with the government of national consensus in order to work on the opening of the Rafah crossing.
In their message to Jordan, the participants appealed to the King of Jordan and his government on the need to cancel the no objection certificates (NOC) and facilitate the students' and patients' travel to Jordan.
He also sent a message to the leaders of all factions that stresses the need for reconciliation and ending the division in order to jointly work on the opening of the Rafah crossing.
He finally called on the international community and human rights organizations worldwide to take quick action to help two million people besieged for more than 10 years in the Gaza Strip.
Their condition is obvious to everyone as they suffer the bitterness of their illnesses and the loss of their future on one hand, and the bitterness of the siege and closure of crossings on the other hand.
Their appeals are their only way to seek the world’s help to open the Rafah border crossing.
The stranded citizens gathered in Gaza at the Unknown Soldier roundabout on Wednesday morning (4/6/2016), appealing with different slogans in the hope their messages would find listening ears on the part of the decision-makers.
Appeals
The Egyptian citizen, Umm Ammar Altlouli, 38, came to the Gaza Strip nine months ago to visit her brothers, but she has not been able yet to return to her children and her husband, as she told the PIC reporter, appealing to the Egyptian president and the Egyptian government to open the Rafah crossing the soonest.
She said with tears on her cheeks: "The people of Gaza are oppressed and did not do anything wrong to be punished by closure of the crossing for long periods of time".
She also expressed frustration for not being able to be with her children to help and support them at the onset of the new school year. "I wish I could go back to Egypt and see my children."
Oudeh Abed, a graduate student, said that students are an important segment that is affected by the continued closure of the Rafah crossing, pointing out that a large number of students had lost their scholarships because of the continued closure of the crossing.
He pointed out that there are more than 2,000 graduate students who need to travel across the Rafah crossing to complete their post-graduate studies.
30 thousand people registered to travel across Rafah
Majdi Ahmed, head of the committee of the stranded citizens, stressed that the number of people registered to travel in the border crossing committee exceeded 30 thousand people, pointing out that the Rafah crossing has been opened only for three days since the beginning of the year.
"These three days are enough only for 1,000 people to travel", he said, stressing that almost all of the registered are sick people, students or holders of non-Palestinian residencies.
Chairman of the stranded citizens committee, sent several messages, among the most important of which was a message to the Egyptian president and government demanding the immediate opening of the Rafah crossing, stressing the importance of the strategic relations between Egypt and Palestine.
Ahmad also appealed to the Palestinian Authority Chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, to shoulder his responsibility towards the Gaza Strip and its population and to adopt swift action along with the government of national consensus in order to work on the opening of the Rafah crossing.
In their message to Jordan, the participants appealed to the King of Jordan and his government on the need to cancel the no objection certificates (NOC) and facilitate the students' and patients' travel to Jordan.
He also sent a message to the leaders of all factions that stresses the need for reconciliation and ending the division in order to jointly work on the opening of the Rafah crossing.
He finally called on the international community and human rights organizations worldwide to take quick action to help two million people besieged for more than 10 years in the Gaza Strip.
3 may 2016
The Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon decided on Monday to open the Beit Hanun (Erez) border-crossing into the blockaded Gaza Strip for commercial goods.
The decision to allow trucks through the Erez terminal on Gaza's northeastern tip was mainly aimed at reducing pressure on the sole crossing point currently handling commercial transfer, Karem Abu Salem, in southeastern Gaza, as well as reducing truck traffic on roads leading to the Israeli settlements adjacent to the enclave.
The Karem Abu Salem is the sole passageway for the transfer of goods out of and into the Gaza Strip. Only passengers were allowed to pass through the Beit Hanun crossing.
The Israeli Channel 2 said the opening of the Erez Crossing before commercial traffic is estimated to reduce the highway's truck traffic by 50%. A senior Israeli official said the decision is likely to lead to the decrease of tucks out of and into the Karem Abu Salem crossing.
The Israeli central court in Beer Sheba cancelled an earlier decision by the Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz to ban trucks into Gaza during peak hours.
The decision to allow trucks through the Erez terminal on Gaza's northeastern tip was mainly aimed at reducing pressure on the sole crossing point currently handling commercial transfer, Karem Abu Salem, in southeastern Gaza, as well as reducing truck traffic on roads leading to the Israeli settlements adjacent to the enclave.
The Karem Abu Salem is the sole passageway for the transfer of goods out of and into the Gaza Strip. Only passengers were allowed to pass through the Beit Hanun crossing.
The Israeli Channel 2 said the opening of the Erez Crossing before commercial traffic is estimated to reduce the highway's truck traffic by 50%. A senior Israeli official said the decision is likely to lead to the decrease of tucks out of and into the Karem Abu Salem crossing.
The Israeli central court in Beer Sheba cancelled an earlier decision by the Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz to ban trucks into Gaza during peak hours.
2 may 2016
The Israeli occupation announced its intent to allow cement quantities into the blockaded Gaza Strip after a one month-ban, an Israeli newspaper reported on Sunday evening.
According to the Yedioth Aharonot newspaper cement truckloads are expected to enter into Gaza in the next few days so as to resume the reconstruction of civilian homes and structures destroyed by the 2014 Israeli offensive on the besieged enclave.
The newspaper quoted Israeli security sources as claiming that the one-month ban had nothing to do with the discovery of a tunnel in southern Gaza. The decision was reportedly made following calls repeatedly launched by Turkey to lift the Israeli siege on Gaza.
According to the Yedioth Aharonot newspaper cement truckloads are expected to enter into Gaza in the next few days so as to resume the reconstruction of civilian homes and structures destroyed by the 2014 Israeli offensive on the besieged enclave.
The newspaper quoted Israeli security sources as claiming that the one-month ban had nothing to do with the discovery of a tunnel in southern Gaza. The decision was reportedly made following calls repeatedly launched by Turkey to lift the Israeli siege on Gaza.
