Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA) – Ninety-ninth biweekly implementation report (OCHA)

Report No. 99

Implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access

and Update on Gaza Crossings

(19 Aug – 01 Sep 2009)

The United Nations is submitting the 99th bi-weekly report on the implementation of the 15 November 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA)¹, covering the period 19 Aug – 01 Sep 09 (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 remains closed for the movement of people for 815 working days. It was last open for public use on 09 June 2007. However, the crossing was partially open on an exceptional basis for passengers on all days during the reporting period, the same as in the previous reporting period, allowing 61 authorized Palestinians, including many medical cases to cross out, and 1,768 to cross in, compared to 5,035 departures and 870 arrivals in the previous reporting period.

• Karni crossing has remained closed since 12 June 2007 for the movement of goods in and out of Gaza.  The conveyor belt/chute for cereals and animal feed was open on four days (19, 24, 26 and 31 Aug), the same as during the previous reporting period. A total of 259 truckloads of cereals and animal feed entered Gaza, via the conveyor belt, compared to 312 in the previous reporting period. Neither gravel nor bulk cement were allowed entry during this period. Gravel and bulk cement were last allowed into Gaza on 26 and 29 Oct 08 respectively.

• Erez crossing has remained closed for more than three years since 12 March 2006 for workers, and more than two years, since 12 June 2007, for all other Palestinians, except for a limited number of Palestinian senior traders, aid workers and medical cases who have been granted special permits. For these persons, Erez crossing was partially open on 12 days. No traders were allowed out during the reporting period and an average of 23 medical cases per day were allowed to cross out, compared to an average of 19 during the previous reporting period.

• Obstacles to movement in the West Bank has increased from 618 during the previous reporting 619. Overall, the figure of 619 represents an increase of 243 obstacles (64.6%) over the baseline figure (376) of August 2005.

• Convoys between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank:

• Ports:

Non-AMA Crossings:

• Sufa crossing was not open during the reporting period. It was last open on 12 Sept 08. In mid March 09, Israel announced that Sufa crossing is no longer a crossing point between Gaza and Israel.

• Kerem Shalom crossing was partially open on 10 days, the same as during the previous reporting period. A total of 944 truckloads of goods, including 283 for humanitarian aid agencies, were allowed in, compared to 787 during the previous reporting period.

• Nahal Oz fuel pipelines were partially open on 06 out of the 10 scheduled days, compared to 07 days during the previous reporting period. A total of 30,000 litres of petrol and 300,000 litres of diesel were allowed entry for UNRWA. In addition, 1,341 tonnes of cooking gas and 4,642,540 litres of industrial gas for the power plant were allowed in compared to 1,769 tonnes and 4,640,050 litres respectively in the previous reporting period.

•  Of note: Overall, 1,203 truckloads, including 96 truckloads for humanitarian agencies, were allowed entry to Gaza during this period, compared to 1,099 truckloads allowed in during the previous reporting period.

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1 The United Nations, through the OCHA oPt office, has assumed reporting responsibilities for reporting 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 facilitate access and movement into/out and throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

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

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

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