GAZA CROSSINGS UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001278 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA/IPA FOR GOLDBERGER; PRM FOR PRM/ANE; NSC FOR PASCUAL; TREASURY FOR ROSE; PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2013 TAGS: ECON EAGR KWBG PHUM IS SUBJECT: GAZA CROSSINGS UPDATE Classified By: Acting Principal Officer Jessica Lapenn, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Gaza contacts report an average of 65 truckloads/day of humanitarian goods and food entered Gaza July 13-17 via Sufa crossing, while gravel, grains and animal feed were transferred via the conveyer belt at Karni/al-Mintar. The back-to-back terminals at Karni remains closed. Cement entered Gaza on July 14 and 16 for the first time since July 2007, otherwise the categories of products allowed into Gaza remains unchanged. PA contacts report that the GOI will increase the level of fuel shipments to Gaza beginning on July 20. End summary. Sufa crossing open; cement allowed in -------------- ¶2. (SBU) UN contacts in Gaza report that Sufa crossing was open to roughly 65 truckloads/day of humanitarian and commercial food shipments July 13-17, while the conveyer belt at Karni/al-Mintar transferred an estimated 300 truckloads of gravel and 120 truckloads of grains and animal feed during this time period. UN contacts note that, for the first time since July 2007, the GOI allowed the shipment of cement into Gaza - roughly 10 truckloads entered via Sufa. Other than this cement, UN and Palestinian contacts report that the categories of goods allowed to enter Gaza remain unchanged from the period before the cease-fire went into effect. Erez crossing was open on a limited basis to international and NGO employees July 13-18. Kerem Shalom crossing has been closed since April 18. The back-to-back terminals at Karni remain closed. Gaza fuel totals reportedly to increase next week -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) PA Director of the Gaza Fuel Agency Mujahid Salama confirmed to Econoff on July 17 that shipments via Nahal Oz of industrial fuel for the power plant, diesel, gasoline, and cooking gas continued at recent levels during the week July 13-17. PA Civil Affairs Director Husayn al-Shaykh told ConGenOffs on July 17 that the GOI plans to allow increased levels of fuel into Gaza beginning Sunday, July 20. Salama confirmed the plan to increase fuel amounts, though he underscored that even at these increased levels, fuel imports will meet only between 30-50 percent of Gaza's demand. ¶4. (SBU) The planned increase in fuel imports, to begin July 20, is reportedly as follows: -Industrial fuel for power plant: 2.9 million liters/weekly (up from 2.2 million/weekly) -Diesel fuel: 1.2 million liters/weekly (up from 880,000 liters/weekly) -Gasoline: 120,000 liters/weekly (up from 75,000/weekly) -Cooking gas: 1000 tons/weekly (up from 800 tons/weekly) LAPENN