US and Israel sign $50 million agreement on scanning equipment for crossings – USAID press release/Non-UN document

December 10, 2005

The United States and Israel Sign a $50 Million Agreement on Scanning Equipment for Crossings

The United States and Israel signed an agreement Thursday evening to provide state-of-the-art scanners and other inspection equipment to facilitate the passage of people and goods at crossing points between Israel and the West Bank and Gaza.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Richard Jones, USAID Mission Director James Bever, Director General of the Ministry of Defense of Israel Jacob Toren, and Head of the Financial Department of the Ministry of Defense Yosef Schtraus participated in the signing ceremony.

Under the auspices of the agreement, the U.S. Government, acting through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will finance $50 million to purchase, deliver and install state-of-the-art scanning devices at crossing points between Israel and the West Bank and Gaza. The Government of Israel commits to effectively operate and maintain the detection equipment, which is to be used exclusively for facilitating the traffic of people and goods at the crossings.

The American agreement with Israel compliments an established USAID program that provides border-crossing assistance to the Palestinians. This program significantly contributes to the economic viability of the West Bank and Gaza by providing technology that speeds up container inspection times, allowing for the passage of up to 600 trucks per day.