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

The United Nations is submitting the twelfth bi-weekly report on the implementation of the 15 November Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA), covering the period 15 – 28 April 2006 inclusive.The Office of the Quartet’s Special Envoy closed on 28 April and the United Nations has assumed reporting responsibilities on the implementation of the AMA.¹

• Rafah was open daily during the reporting period.

• Karni was open nine days during the reporting period. On 26 April, Karni was closed at 12.30pm following an attempted attack at the crossing by Palestinian militants which was thwarted by Palestinian security personnel. On 19 April, Karni crossing was open only for importation of aggregates. The daily average number of exported truckloads during the reporting period remained low, at 5.1 per day.

• Kerem Shalom was opened for the import of essential food commodities from Egypt on 23 March. In this reporting period, the crossing was open for eight days, during which a total of 79 truckloads of flour, sugar, and rice were imported into the Gaza Strip. On 26 April, the last of the earmarked 281 truckloads of humanitarian assistance originating from Egypt was received. No goods have been exported through Kerem Shalom.

• Erez has been closed to Palestinians since 12 March coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Purim. There is no indication as to when it will reopen. As such, no workers or traders crossed into Israel via Erez during the reporting period.

• The deadline for the introduction of truck convoys between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank passed on 15 January. Discussions of bus convoys have not yet resumed.

• According to OCHA, the number of obstacles to movement in the West Bank increased slightly from 496 to 504. OCHA compiles several times a year a comprehensive count of physical obstacles to Palestinian movement in the West Bank. The figures reported here are based on OCHA field observations only.

• The GoI has not provided the assurance to donors that it will not interfere with the operation of the seaport.

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

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¹  For further information please contact Francine Pickup or Catherine Osborn, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), tel: 02 582 9962.