Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA) – Seventy-first biweekly implementation report (OCHA)

Report No. 71

Implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access

and Update on Gaza Crossings

(23 July – 05 August 2008)

The United Nations is submitting the 71^st bi-weekly report on the implementation of the 15 November 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA)¹, covering the period 23 July – 05 August 2008 (Annex)². In light of the closure of Gaza, this report also monitors movement and access through other crossings not included in the AMA.

Summary:

AMA Benchmarks:

• Rafah crossing has remained closed for the movement of people for 423 working days since it was last opened on 09 June 2007. However, 28 medical cases from Gaza were allowed to cross on 04 August when the crossing opened for a few hours. No one was allowed to cross into the Gaza Strip during the reporting period.

• Karni crossing has been closed since 12 June 2007 for the movement of goods in and out of Gaza. The single-lane conveyor belt/chute located outside the compound, was operational for the import of cereals, animal feed and gravel on eight days (23,24,27,28,29,30,31 July and 04 August) including four days in which also operated for gravel imports. In the previous reporting period, the belt/chute was operational on nine days. Overall, 1,298 truckloads of cereals, animal feed and gravel (accounted for 984 truckloads) entered Gaza, via the conveyor belt, compared to 1,548 in the previous reporting period.

• Erez crossing has remained closed for more than two years since March 2006 for workers, and more than a year, since 12 June 2007, for all other Palestinians, except for a limited number of Palestinian traders, aid workers and medical cases who have been granted special permits. For these persons, Erez crossing was partially open 12 out of the 14 scheduled days.

• Obstacles to movement in the West Bank has remained at 610, being the same as reported during the previous reporting period. Overall, the figure of 610 represents an increase of 234 obstacles (62.2%) over the baseline figure (376) of August 2005.

• Convoys between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank:

• Ports:

Non-AMA Crossings:

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¹ The United Nations, through the OCHA oPt office, has assumed reporting responsibilities on the implementation of the AMA since April 2006.

² The AMA was negotiated by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to promote peaceful economic development and improve the humanitarian situation on the ground. It represents the commitments of both the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to take the necessary steps s to facilitate access and movement into/out and throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.