Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TELAVIV1273
2006-04-03 06:15:00
SECRET
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
GOI COMMITTED TO KEEPING HUMANITARIAN GOODS FLOWING
how-to read a cableThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001273
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2016
TAGS: ECON PTER KWBG KPAL IS COUNTERTERRORISM ECONOMY AND FINANCE ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: GOI COMMITTED TO KEEPING HUMANITARIAN GOODS FLOWING
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones, reasons
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001273
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2016
TAGS: ECON PTER KWBG KPAL IS COUNTERTERRORISM ECONOMY AND FINANCE ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: GOI COMMITTED TO KEEPING HUMANITARIAN GOODS FLOWING
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones, reasons 1. 4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: One week after the reopening of Karni,
imports into Gaza at the commercial terminal average more
than 200 truckloads per day. The overwhelming majority of
cargo is of humanitarian supplies. MOD advisor Brigadier
General (res.) Baruch Spiegel stressed to Econ Chief that the
GOI is committed to keeping humanitarian goods flowing into
Gaza and to keeping Karni open and that following some
initial problems, traffic at Kerem Shalom will be increasing
soon. GOI officials are awaiting a decision by the MOD on
increasing exports at Karni, which could come as early as
April 3. Spiegel said that ongoing terrorist threats are
preventing Karni from operating at full capacity and that
smuggling at Rafah remains a significant problem. End
summary.
2. (SBU) More than a week after Karni was reopened following
the second long closure of the year, traffic at the
commercial terminal remains focused primarily on humanitarian
imports into Gaza. The number of trucks entering Gaza has
remained steady, ranging for the most part between 180 and
220 cargo loads per day. On March 23, however, a total of
300 truckloads were able to cross into Gaza. Clearly a lower
priority, exports into Israel (chiefly textiles, agricultural
products, and furniture),did not start again until March 26
and averaged between 25 to 35 trucks per day.
--------------
FOCUS - HUMANITARIAN IMPORTS
--------------
3. (S) Brigadier General Baruch Spiegel (ret.) told Econ
Chief on March 29 that cargo traffic through the Karni
crossing had reached over 200 truckloads per day as of March
26 and truckloads entering Gaza through Kerem Shalom had
reached 20 to 25 per day. Spiegel reiterated the GOI,s
commitment to keep humanitarian goods flowing to Gaza and to
keep Karni open. He noted, however, that Karni is still
operating at a diminished capacity due to what he said are
significant terrorist threats. The sections of Karni that
are in operation are isolated and guarded by military units.
Also, a helicopter is on standby near the terminal in case of
a terrorist attack. He said that traffic through Kerem
Shalom was improving after some initial problems and will be
increasing soon. Spiegel criticized the Palestinians for not
resuming talks sponsored by the U.S. Security Coordinator and
said that no security improvements have been made on the
Palestinian side of the Karni crossing.
4. (C) Karni Terminal Manager Yoni Dotan told econoff on
March 30 that the crossing is working on its normal schedule
of 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM Sunday-Thursday and from 8:00am )2:00pm
on Fridays. He said precedence is being given to
humanitarian supplies to Gaza, consisting primarily of wheat
flour, cooking oil, and other staples. Only one or two bays
are open to exports. Empty containers are being sent back,
which should make it easier for World Food Program and other
donors to &recycle them8 and ship their supplies to Gaza,
he said. One OCHA representative said that his organization
is pleased with the level of imports currently entering at
Karni, which he estimated are roughly consistent with
pre-closure levels. Over 1,650 truckloads of food and
commercial supplies crossed into Gaza at Karni since it
reopened on March 20.
5. (C) Dotan said that he continues to have good cooperation
with his Palestinian counterparts, who are the same people
that he has always dealt with on the PA side. He emphasized
that he has seen no change yet in operations or approach by
those PA officials. MOD Lt. Col. Oded Herman confirmed to
econoff that the relationship with working-level technical
contacts on Karni remains good.
--------------
DECISION ON EXPORTS PENDING
--------------
6. (C) Dotan admitted that exports are extremely low, but
said that he is awaiting a decision by the Minister of
Defense to raise the volume. Lt. Col. Herman said that there
could be a decision on increasing exports by April 3 or 4.
The OCHA representative said exports in mid-February were
averaging 80 truckloads per day.
--------------
RAFAH ISSUES
--------------
7. (S) Regarding the situation at the Rafah terminal, Spiegel
said that the appearance of widespread smuggling through the
crossing point is worrying. He pointed to intelligence
reports that Palestinians are bringing a wide variety of
goods such as cigarettes and cosmetics through the terminal
in excess of customs regulations. The excess goods are being
confiscated by Palestinian customs and placed in a warehouse,
but these same goods disappear from the warehouse at night.
Spiegel claimed that the EU-BAM knows about the problem but
is powerless to prevent it. Part of the problem, according
to Spiegel, is that Palestinian customs officials were being
threatened by the smugglers when they return to their homes.
--------------
KARNI AND KEREM SHALOM STATISTICS
--------------
8. (U) The following are number of truckloads of imports
(into Gaza) and exports (into Israel) at Karni crossing and
imports into Gaza at Kerem Shalom March 20 - 30, according to
GOI and OCHA sources. Kerem shalom did not open until March
23.
Date Karni Imports/Karni Exports Kerem Shalom
March 30 150/25 14
March 29 165/20 12
March 28 closed closed
March 27 145/15 12
March 26 220/24.5 12
March 24 165/0 5
March 23 300/0 2
March 22 221/0 not open
March 21 187/0 not open
March 20 15/0 not open
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2016
TAGS: ECON PTER KWBG KPAL IS COUNTERTERRORISM ECONOMY AND FINANCE ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: GOI COMMITTED TO KEEPING HUMANITARIAN GOODS FLOWING
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones, reasons 1. 4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: One week after the reopening of Karni,
imports into Gaza at the commercial terminal average more
than 200 truckloads per day. The overwhelming majority of
cargo is of humanitarian supplies. MOD advisor Brigadier
General (res.) Baruch Spiegel stressed to Econ Chief that the
GOI is committed to keeping humanitarian goods flowing into
Gaza and to keeping Karni open and that following some
initial problems, traffic at Kerem Shalom will be increasing
soon. GOI officials are awaiting a decision by the MOD on
increasing exports at Karni, which could come as early as
April 3. Spiegel said that ongoing terrorist threats are
preventing Karni from operating at full capacity and that
smuggling at Rafah remains a significant problem. End
summary.
2. (SBU) More than a week after Karni was reopened following
the second long closure of the year, traffic at the
commercial terminal remains focused primarily on humanitarian
imports into Gaza. The number of trucks entering Gaza has
remained steady, ranging for the most part between 180 and
220 cargo loads per day. On March 23, however, a total of
300 truckloads were able to cross into Gaza. Clearly a lower
priority, exports into Israel (chiefly textiles, agricultural
products, and furniture),did not start again until March 26
and averaged between 25 to 35 trucks per day.
--------------
FOCUS - HUMANITARIAN IMPORTS
--------------
3. (S) Brigadier General Baruch Spiegel (ret.) told Econ
Chief on March 29 that cargo traffic through the Karni
crossing had reached over 200 truckloads per day as of March
26 and truckloads entering Gaza through Kerem Shalom had
reached 20 to 25 per day. Spiegel reiterated the GOI,s
commitment to keep humanitarian goods flowing to Gaza and to
keep Karni open. He noted, however, that Karni is still
operating at a diminished capacity due to what he said are
significant terrorist threats. The sections of Karni that
are in operation are isolated and guarded by military units.
Also, a helicopter is on standby near the terminal in case of
a terrorist attack. He said that traffic through Kerem
Shalom was improving after some initial problems and will be
increasing soon. Spiegel criticized the Palestinians for not
resuming talks sponsored by the U.S. Security Coordinator and
said that no security improvements have been made on the
Palestinian side of the Karni crossing.
4. (C) Karni Terminal Manager Yoni Dotan told econoff on
March 30 that the crossing is working on its normal schedule
of 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM Sunday-Thursday and from 8:00am )2:00pm
on Fridays. He said precedence is being given to
humanitarian supplies to Gaza, consisting primarily of wheat
flour, cooking oil, and other staples. Only one or two bays
are open to exports. Empty containers are being sent back,
which should make it easier for World Food Program and other
donors to &recycle them8 and ship their supplies to Gaza,
he said. One OCHA representative said that his organization
is pleased with the level of imports currently entering at
Karni, which he estimated are roughly consistent with
pre-closure levels. Over 1,650 truckloads of food and
commercial supplies crossed into Gaza at Karni since it
reopened on March 20.
5. (C) Dotan said that he continues to have good cooperation
with his Palestinian counterparts, who are the same people
that he has always dealt with on the PA side. He emphasized
that he has seen no change yet in operations or approach by
those PA officials. MOD Lt. Col. Oded Herman confirmed to
econoff that the relationship with working-level technical
contacts on Karni remains good.
--------------
DECISION ON EXPORTS PENDING
--------------
6. (C) Dotan admitted that exports are extremely low, but
said that he is awaiting a decision by the Minister of
Defense to raise the volume. Lt. Col. Herman said that there
could be a decision on increasing exports by April 3 or 4.
The OCHA representative said exports in mid-February were
averaging 80 truckloads per day.
--------------
RAFAH ISSUES
--------------
7. (S) Regarding the situation at the Rafah terminal, Spiegel
said that the appearance of widespread smuggling through the
crossing point is worrying. He pointed to intelligence
reports that Palestinians are bringing a wide variety of
goods such as cigarettes and cosmetics through the terminal
in excess of customs regulations. The excess goods are being
confiscated by Palestinian customs and placed in a warehouse,
but these same goods disappear from the warehouse at night.
Spiegel claimed that the EU-BAM knows about the problem but
is powerless to prevent it. Part of the problem, according
to Spiegel, is that Palestinian customs officials were being
threatened by the smugglers when they return to their homes.
--------------
KARNI AND KEREM SHALOM STATISTICS
--------------
8. (U) The following are number of truckloads of imports
(into Gaza) and exports (into Israel) at Karni crossing and
imports into Gaza at Kerem Shalom March 20 - 30, according to
GOI and OCHA sources. Kerem shalom did not open until March
23.
Date Karni Imports/Karni Exports Kerem Shalom
March 30 150/25 14
March 29 165/20 12
March 28 closed closed
March 27 145/15 12
March 26 220/24.5 12
March 24 165/0 5
March 23 300/0 2
March 22 221/0 not open
March 21 187/0 not open
March 20 15/0 not open
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES