Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA) – Twenty-second bi-weekly implementation report (OCHA)

The United Nations¹ is submitting the 22nd bi-weekly report on the implementation of the 15 November Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA), covering the period 6-19 September 2006 inclusive.²

1. Overall Progress:

The operation of Karni crossing returned to its pre ‘Operation Summer Rains’ level however access for Palestinians in and out of the Gaza Strip closed completely. The trend analyses (p 5-7) show no consistent progress in the implementation of the AMA.

2. Changes since Report No 21 (5 September):

• Rafah crossing was closed for the whole period.

• Karni crossing was open on all 12 scheduled operating days enabling a total of 2,734 truckloads of goods into and 234½ truckloads of goods out of the Gaza Strip. The last time Karni was open all 12 days in a period was May (Report Number 14). Karni was open for 53% of scheduled operating hours.

• Sufa was open on 11 days for commercial and humanitarian goods traffic (which included aggregates on 6 of the days).

• Kerem Shalom was open on four days for commercial and humanitarian goods traffic but not aggregates.

• Obstacles to movement in the West Bank decreased from 552 to 518 which is similar to the level in June. This significant change since the last report may be largely due to OCHA having undertaken a comprehensive count during the period. This represents a increase of 142 or 37% over the baseline figure of August 2005.

• There was one reported security incident north of Erez which caused the temporary closure of the crossing point on the 15th September.

3. No Change since Report No 21 (5 September):

Crossings:

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 The report draws on all available data sources for reporting including the EU-BAM, UN agencies, PA ministries, PalTrade, COGAT and the World Bank.