Israel and the Palestinian Authority reached a deal on the
Gaza border crossings at Rafah on Tuesday, after a meeting
attended by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Defense
Minister Shaul Mofaz, and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency)
head Yuval Diskin. Rice had stayed on in Israel past her
original schedule to help broker the deal.
MK Binyamin Netanyahu expressed concern about the agreement,
saying that it constitutes a danger to Israel.
MK Yuval Steinitz said: "Israel was pressured into opening up
the crossings before we were ready; we gave in to pressure
from the Americans."
Under the agreement, the Rafah crossing will be monitored by
Palestinian and Egyptian officials, with EU representatives
on-site as well.
The crossing may reopen as soon as November 25. In the first
stage, only people will be allowed to pass. Once the security
arrangements are completed, vehicles will be allowed through
as well.
Israel will be able to watch Rafah traffic via closed circuit
TV cameras, and will be permitted to raise concerns about
particular travelers it considers a security risk. However,
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Israel will have no
veto powers. No traveler will be allowed to be held up for
more than six hours.
In the meantime, commerce traffic will pass through the Kerem
Shalom crossing, where a joint Israeli-Palestinian-European
coordination office will operate. There, real-time video feed
will be available for the monitors.
The deal also allows the Palestinians to build a seaport in
Gaza, and Palestinian bus convoys will be allowed, beginning
December 15, to travel between Gaza and the West Bank. On
January 15, truck convoys are to be allowed passage as
well.
Rice, who flew to Jordan on Monday evening to meet with King
Abdullah over last week's Amman hotel suicide bombings, but
later returned to work out the deal. Rice delayed her
scheduled departure to Korea to get personally involved in
the issue.
Israel agreed to allow at least 150 export trucks from Gaza a
day by the end of the year, and at least 400 trucks a day by
the end 2006. Israel also guaranteed that in the upcoming
harvest season, all agricultural produce from Gaza will be
allowed through the passage.
