Gisha – To PNN - Six months after the Israeli Security Cabinet’s decision to “ease” the closure on the Gaza Strip, Gisha- The Legal Center for Freedom of Movement - released on Tuesday a new position paper entitled "Reconstructing the Closure" expressing concern over restrictions on the entry of construction materials into the Strip.
Moreover, despite assurances that entry of construction materials would be allowed for international organizations seeking to rebuild Gaza, the granting of permits for these purposes has been slow and impeded by burdensome bureaucratic conditions. The result has been a thwarting of international projects, while projects administered by the government in Gaza are built using construction materials entering through tunnels between the Gaza-Egypt borders.
According to our information, between July 6 and December 6, 2010, 744 trucks of cement, gravel and steel, or approximately 149 trucks per month, have been allowed to enter Gaza for construction for international projects.
Comparatively, prior to June 2007, residents of Gaza purchased in excess of 5000 trucks of cement, gravel and steel each month. On the other hand, up to 900 tons of concrete (an amount equivalent to 36 truck loads), or 300 tons of steel, or 250 tons of gravel enter Gaza on any given day through the 30-40 tunnels intended for the import of construction materials.
The restrictions on the import of construction materials impair the activity of international organizations and prevent them from carrying out plans to build schools, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure. In the meantime, with the help of construction materials arriving through the tunnels, the government is able to successfully carry out construction projects. This state of affairs raises questions about Israel's motivations in restricting the entrance of construction materials through the crossing points it continues to control.
To read the report in full, click on this link.
http://www.gisha.org/UserFiles/File/HiddenMessages/Reconstructing_the_closure19_12_10.doc
For weekly updates and commentary on Gaza's crossings, see http://www.gazagateway.org.
PNN - Palestine News Network - Will Recent Changes to the Closure Policy be Enough To Build in Gaza?