Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA) – 43rd bi-weekly implementation report (OCHA)

Report No. 43

Implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access

(27 June – 10 July 2007)

The United Nations¹ is submitting the 43rd bi-weekly report on the implementation of the 15 November 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA), covering the period 27 June – 10 July 2007. ²

1. Overall Progress:

There have been serious restrictions for the transit of people and goods in and out of Gaza. The two main crossings, Rafah and Karni have been effectively closed. The closure of Rafah Crossing has left thousands of Palestinian travelers including medical patients, children and elderly unable to cross into or out of Egypt. At Karni Crossing a single-lane conveyor belt/chute was open for six days to enable the import of wheat and other grain. Karni crossing remains closed for the import of all other items and all exports. Erez Crossing continues to remain closed to Palestinian workers and has been closed to them since 12 March 2006. It was open on 4 July (for the first time since 12 June) for a limited number of Palestinian merchants and senior traders. A limited number of medical cases have crossed at Erez after special coordination with the IDF. Sufa and Kerem Shalom crossings were open to facilitate the entry of humanitarian and commercial food commodities during the reporting period.

Changes of note since Report No. 42 (26 June):

• Rafah crossing was last open on 9 June. It was closed during the entire reporting period, except on 7 July when 20 Palestinians crossed in a special coordination initiated by Egypt without the presence of EUBAM. A similar event occurred during the previous reporting period when 200 – 250 people crossed into the Gaza Strip on 18 June. This crossing has now been closed for more than 31 days.

• Karni crossing was closed during reporting period and has been closed since 12 June. A single-lane conveyor belt/chute for importing barley, wheat grains, animal feed, soya, and corn was open on 6 days for an average of 3 hours a day bringing into Gaza the equivalent of 185 truck loads of food products.  Some cement was also brought in by conveyor otherwise Karni crossing remained closed for the import of all other items and all exports.

• Sufa crossing was open on 11 scheduled operating days to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid.

• Kerem Shalom crossing was open during this period for the import of humanitarian aid supplies.

• Erez crossing Erez continues to remain closed to Palestinian workers except for a very limited number of senior Palestinian traders who were granted special permits to cross to the West Bank and Israel. (The actual number of traders in this category is not available due to the absence of Palestinian officials at the crossing). Erez remained open for the movement of international personnel and some medical cases throughout the reporting period. It was closed from 12th June due Israeli security concerns.

• Obstacles to movement in the West Bank decreased compared to the previous reporting period (from 556 to 539) but this is an increase of 163 obstacles or 43% over the baseline figure of August 2005.

2. No Change since Report No. 42 (26 June):

•  Convoys between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank:

Ports:

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¹ The Office of the Quartet’s Special Envoy closed on 28 April. Since then the United Nations through the oPt OCHA office has assumed reporting responsibilities on the implementation of the AMA.

² On 12 June, Erez and Karni Crossing were announced closed for Israeli security concerns in relation to the internal Palestinian armed factional clashes).

For more information email: ochaopt@un.org | Address: P.O. Box 38712 Jerusalem

Phone: +972 (0)2 5829962 / 5825853 | Fax: +972 (0)2 5825841

www.ochaopt.org

FULL REPORT: