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

Sixteenth Report

Implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access

(14 – 27 June 2006)

The United Nations¹ is submitting the 16th bi-weekly report on the implementation of the 15 November Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA), covering the period 14 – 27 June 2006 inclusive.²

• Rafah crossing was closed for four days during the reporting period because EU observers were not allowed through Kerem Shalom crossing used to access Rafah. On a further two days Rafah was open for approximately 4.5 of the 12 scheduled daily operating hours. Despite the reduced opening hours, the number of people who crossed through Rafah remains comparable to previous periods.

• Karni crossing was closed for three days during the reporting period (excluding Saturdays) and was open on two other days for four hours or less. The container lane at Karni has been closed since 12 June and only palletised cargo is being allowed through. The average daily number of exported truckloads increased to 21.2 during the reporting period.

• Kerem Shalom crossing was open for four days during the reporting period for humanitarian assistance. There was an attack by Palestinian militants on an IDF military post at Kerem Shalom on 25 June and the crossing has remained closed since then. Two IDF soldiers and two militants were killed during the attack, four other IDF soldiers were injured and one IDF soldier was taken captive by militants into the Gaza Strip.

• Sufa crossing was closed for six days during the reporting period due to a reported security alert by the IDF.³

• Erez crossing has been closed for Palestinian workers since 12 March. According to the Palestinian Ministry of National Economy between 15 – 20 Palestinian traders with permits are permitted to cross through Erez in spite of the general closure.

• The deadline for the introduction of truck convoys between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as agreed in the AMA, passed on 15 January. Discussions about the possibility of bus convoys have not resumed.

• The Government of Israel (GoI) has not provided the assurance to donors that it will not interfere with the operation of the Gaza Strip seaport.

• There have been no discussions on the Gaza Strip airport during the reporting period.

• According to OCHA, the number of obstacles to movement in the West Bank increased from 515 to 526. OCHA compiles several times a year comprehensive count of physical obstacles to Palestinian movement in the West Bank. The figures reported here are based on OCHA field observations only.

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¹ The Office of the Quartet’s Special Envoy closed on 28 April. The United Nations has assumed reporting responsibilities on the implementation of the AMA.

² The report draws on all available data sources for reporting including the EU, UN agencies, PA ministries, PalTrade, COGAT and the World Bank.

³ Sufa is usually open six days a week (excluding Saturdays which are not counted as a closure day). However, Sufa was closed from 21 June and Saturday 24 June is counted as a closure day in this report because it falls across a comprehensive period of closure.