GOI CONTINUES TO FACILITATE PASSAGE OF

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 001928 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/STEINGER; NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON KPAL KWBG PGOV PHUM IS SUBJECT: GOI CONTINUES TO FACILITATE PASSAGE OF HUMANITARIAN GOODS INTO GAZA REF: TEL AVIV 1844 Sensitive but unclassified -- please protect accordingly ¶1. (SBU) COGAT confirmed to EconOff on June 25 that despite the main border crossings with Gaza remaining closed, the GOI continues to facilitate passage of individuals through Erez Crossing Point on a special humanitarian basis. It is also allowing the import of humanitarian goods, food, and fuel through the Kerem Shalom, Sufa, and Nahal Oz crossing points. Maj. Peter Lerner, Head of International Relations at Erez Crossing Point, told EconOff that since June 19 the GOI has channeled a steady stream of food and aid from international donors -- including food and soap from the Jordanian King and dialysis equipment from USAID -- through Kerem Shalom. -------------- COMPOSITION OF HUMANITARIAN GOODS -------------- ¶2. (SBU) COGAT contacts reported that 20 truckloads of food (cooking oil, eggs, sugar, and dairy products) and one truckload of medicine were brought into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom Crossing on June 24. In addition, approximately 70 truckloads of animal feed (totaling 537 tons) and straw (totaling 581 tons) were brought in via the Sufa crossing point. The following humanitarian goods are scheduled to be imported into Gaza on June 25: Via Erez: -- one truckload of medicine from UNRWA; -- one truckload of medicine from UNICEF; Via Sufa: -- one truckload of medical supplies from the ICRC; -- one truckload of dialysis equipment from USAID; -- 11 truckloads of food from the World Food Programme. -------------- KARNI STILL CLOSED -------------- ¶3. (SBU) As for the Karni (Al-Mintar) Cargo Terminal, Oded Herman, Ministry of Defense Advisor to Pol-Mil Director Amos Gilad, advised EconOff on June 25 that the crossing point remained closed. He noted that although the crossing point had sustained damage on the Palestinian side, the GOI still did not have a Palestinian counterpart at Karni with whom to coordinate the passage of commercial goods, and asserted that since dealing with Hamas was not an option, the lack of a Palestinian partner -- not the damage -- was the real reason Karni would remain closed for the foreseeable future. ********************************************* ******************** 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