Israel says it must maintain control of everything going in and out of Gaza
Marian Houk
June 22, 2010
If anyone failed to understand the ever-so-careful language in the Quartet statement issued on Monday [following the Israeli cabinet pronouncements on Sunday] Tony Blair spelled it out perfectly clearly in an interview published in part on Tuesday [the rest is promised for later in the week] with the Jerusalem Post's David Horovitz and Herb Keinon.
First, a re-cap of a particularly relevant portion of the Quartet statement issued yesterday: The Quartet said it "recognizes that Israel has legitimate security concerns that must continue to be safeguarded, and believes efforts to maintain security while enabling movement and access for Palestinian people and goods are critical. The Quartet commits to work with Israel and the international community to prevent the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition into Gaza. It urges all those wishing to deliver goods to do so through established channels so that their cargo can be inspected and transferred via land crossings into Gaza. The Quartet emphasizes that there is no need for unnecessary confrontations and calls on all parties to act responsibly in meeting the needs of the people of Gaza".
Now, here is what the Jerusalem Post reported after speaking to Tony Blair:
"Anyone thinking of organizing an aid flotilla for Gaza should instead utilize the legitimate existing land crossings, where Israel is now lifting restrictions on civilian goods, Quartet envoy Tony Blair said on Monday. 'If we implement this policy so that the things that people are trying to bring in by flotilla you can bring in through the legitimate existing crossings, do it that way', Blair urged in an interview with The Jerusalem Post. 'That is the more sensible way to do that' ... Blair, who played a central role in working with the government to reverse the three-year policy of restricting civilian goods entering Gaza, emphatically endorsed the Israeli security concerns that underpin the ongoing naval blockade. 'Where I divide from some others in the international community is that I think that Israel has got a genuine security concern that it is entitled to meet', said the former British prime minister. 'For me, the fact that Israel says, ´Look, we´re not going to allow things into the [Gaza] seaport, but you can bring them to Ashdod, and we can check them, and then they can come on to Gaza,´ I think that is a reasonable position. What you can´t justify is saying that basic foodstuffs and household items can´t go into Gaza ... My argument was and always has been that there is a very clear distinction, the only distinction in the end you can sensibly justify, between the security needs of Israel and [the] daily life [needs of Gazans]' ... Blair said he would now be exploring the possibility of bringing PA forces to help oversee land crossings into Gaza, and restoring the EU´s role at the Rafah crossing. "Improving the conditions of people in Gaza by whatever means is helpful to the overall cause," he said ... (The full interview with Tony Blair will appear in the Post later this week.)" This is reported in the JPost here.
By the way, what does he mean by "the overall cause" ???
And, could somebody please explain how, and on what grounds -- given that it continues to insist, in defiance of all evidence the contrary, to that Gaza is no longer Israeli-occupied -- Israel can justify its insistence on maintaining absolute ultimate control over everything that goes in and out of the Gaza Strip [except, of course, via the tunnels -- a policy, also by the way, that some Palestinians predict, will be coming soon in the West Bank, too]?
Or, is this just a far worse form of occupation -- in which many others [starting with the Quartet] are also collaborating?
And, would Tony Blair talk like this to a Palestinian newspaper?
Meanwhile, Haaretz has published a Reuters report in which UNRWA spokesperson Christopher Gunness said that "Israel's Gaza blockade became a blockade against the UN". Gunness told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Cairo that: "We need to have the blockade fully lifted ... The Israeli strategy is to make the international community talk about a bag of cement here, a project there. We need full unfettered access through all the crossings". According to Reuters, "Gunness said he was not confident that the new Israeli system would resolve the difficulties UNRWA has faced determining what can get through the blockade. 'The list of restricted goods is a moving target. We are never told this is banned and that is banned', he said. 'Israel's blockade became a blockade against the UN'. Gunness said Israel must open the Karni cargo terminal north of Gaza, which is large enough to allow industrial-scale cargoes of cement, building materials and aid. Instead, trucks are routed to a narrower crossing [i.e., Kerem Shalom, which Israel has long wanted to make the primary crossing into Gaza, is at the inner southernmost tip of the Gaza Strip, where the borders of Israel, Gaza, and the Egyptian Sinai meet; Palestinians have opposed privileging the Kerem Shalom crossing, in part because of its smaller capacity relative to other land crossings]. This Reuters report is posted on the Haaretz website here.
The rest of the Quartet statement also said that "the current situation in Gaza, including the humanitarian and human rights situation of the civilian population, is unsustainable, unacceptable, and not in the interests of any of those concerned". It added that while it welcomed the Israeli announcement of a new policy, it would wait to see "the elaboration of further details and modalities of implementation". The Quartet noted that "much work remains to achieve fully the solution stated above, and, in consultation with the concerned parties, it will monitor closely the implementation of the policy in all its aspects. It will actively explore additional ways to improve the situation in Gaza, encourage involvement of the PA at the crossings and promote greater commerce between the West Bank and Gaza". And, the Quartet said, it is working "to effect a fundamental change in policy in Gaza".
The Associated Press reported Tuesday evening that Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi told "ultra-Orthodox soldiers in Kiryat Shmona" that "We have a natural right to examine and prevent the inflow of weapons into Gaza ... For those who are truly concerned about the [humanitarian] situation in Gaza and wants to bring medical supplies, they are welcome to dock in Ashdod. We will examine [the cargo] and let it in if needed."
The AP story, published in Haaretz, added that Ashkenazi said: "It is important that we stand up for this right ... We cannot allow Gaza to become an Iranian port."
Referring to plans by Lebanese activists to sail additional aid ships to Gaza despite Israel's naval blockade, Ashkenazi said: "If they seek peace, that's how we'll respond. If not, we will do what we have to do."
This can be read in full here.
Earlier, the IDF spokespersons website reported that "On Monday (June 21), Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke at the Socialist International Council at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and explained that, 'For Israel, the Gaza Strip today is an Iranian military base three kilometers from the closest Israeli city, and 60 kilometers from Tel Aviv. Hamas governs the Gaza Strip forcefully, and cruelly suppresses its political opponents ... The ships that were organized throughout the last few weeks to ´break the blockade´, are actually pure provocation, since there is no humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip', he said, adding that "any organization wishing to send aid to Gazan civilians is welcome to do so through the Ashdod port: 'Every day Israel provides, in addition to electricity and water, approximately 150 trucks loaded with equipment, and not only humanitarian aid products. Therefore, any international group or organization interested in sending additional aid, is welcome to do so through the Ashdod port, which in accordance with an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, is also used for the needs of the Gaza Strip ... [But] Israel cannot and will not permit free passage for ships delivering munitions to the Gaza coast. As long as a terrorist organization rules in the Gaza Strip, neither Israel nor Egypt will allow the entrance of those cargos. Israel has the right and the obligation to protect itself and it does so within the framework of International Law and the International Humanitarian Law', he said". This item is posted on the IDF Spokespersons website here.
First, a re-cap of a particularly relevant portion of the Quartet statement issued yesterday: The Quartet said it "recognizes that Israel has legitimate security concerns that must continue to be safeguarded, and believes efforts to maintain security while enabling movement and access for Palestinian people and goods are critical. The Quartet commits to work with Israel and the international community to prevent the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition into Gaza. It urges all those wishing to deliver goods to do so through established channels so that their cargo can be inspected and transferred via land crossings into Gaza. The Quartet emphasizes that there is no need for unnecessary confrontations and calls on all parties to act responsibly in meeting the needs of the people of Gaza".
Now, here is what the Jerusalem Post reported after speaking to Tony Blair:
"Anyone thinking of organizing an aid flotilla for Gaza should instead utilize the legitimate existing land crossings, where Israel is now lifting restrictions on civilian goods, Quartet envoy Tony Blair said on Monday. 'If we implement this policy so that the things that people are trying to bring in by flotilla you can bring in through the legitimate existing crossings, do it that way', Blair urged in an interview with The Jerusalem Post. 'That is the more sensible way to do that' ... Blair, who played a central role in working with the government to reverse the three-year policy of restricting civilian goods entering Gaza, emphatically endorsed the Israeli security concerns that underpin the ongoing naval blockade. 'Where I divide from some others in the international community is that I think that Israel has got a genuine security concern that it is entitled to meet', said the former British prime minister. 'For me, the fact that Israel says, ´Look, we´re not going to allow things into the [Gaza] seaport, but you can bring them to Ashdod, and we can check them, and then they can come on to Gaza,´ I think that is a reasonable position. What you can´t justify is saying that basic foodstuffs and household items can´t go into Gaza ... My argument was and always has been that there is a very clear distinction, the only distinction in the end you can sensibly justify, between the security needs of Israel and [the] daily life [needs of Gazans]' ... Blair said he would now be exploring the possibility of bringing PA forces to help oversee land crossings into Gaza, and restoring the EU´s role at the Rafah crossing. "Improving the conditions of people in Gaza by whatever means is helpful to the overall cause," he said ... (The full interview with Tony Blair will appear in the Post later this week.)" This is reported in the JPost here.
By the way, what does he mean by "the overall cause" ???
And, could somebody please explain how, and on what grounds -- given that it continues to insist, in defiance of all evidence the contrary, to that Gaza is no longer Israeli-occupied -- Israel can justify its insistence on maintaining absolute ultimate control over everything that goes in and out of the Gaza Strip [except, of course, via the tunnels -- a policy, also by the way, that some Palestinians predict, will be coming soon in the West Bank, too]?
Or, is this just a far worse form of occupation -- in which many others [starting with the Quartet] are also collaborating?
And, would Tony Blair talk like this to a Palestinian newspaper?
Meanwhile, Haaretz has published a Reuters report in which UNRWA spokesperson Christopher Gunness said that "Israel's Gaza blockade became a blockade against the UN". Gunness told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Cairo that: "We need to have the blockade fully lifted ... The Israeli strategy is to make the international community talk about a bag of cement here, a project there. We need full unfettered access through all the crossings". According to Reuters, "Gunness said he was not confident that the new Israeli system would resolve the difficulties UNRWA has faced determining what can get through the blockade. 'The list of restricted goods is a moving target. We are never told this is banned and that is banned', he said. 'Israel's blockade became a blockade against the UN'. Gunness said Israel must open the Karni cargo terminal north of Gaza, which is large enough to allow industrial-scale cargoes of cement, building materials and aid. Instead, trucks are routed to a narrower crossing [i.e., Kerem Shalom, which Israel has long wanted to make the primary crossing into Gaza, is at the inner southernmost tip of the Gaza Strip, where the borders of Israel, Gaza, and the Egyptian Sinai meet; Palestinians have opposed privileging the Kerem Shalom crossing, in part because of its smaller capacity relative to other land crossings]. This Reuters report is posted on the Haaretz website here.
The rest of the Quartet statement also said that "the current situation in Gaza, including the humanitarian and human rights situation of the civilian population, is unsustainable, unacceptable, and not in the interests of any of those concerned". It added that while it welcomed the Israeli announcement of a new policy, it would wait to see "the elaboration of further details and modalities of implementation". The Quartet noted that "much work remains to achieve fully the solution stated above, and, in consultation with the concerned parties, it will monitor closely the implementation of the policy in all its aspects. It will actively explore additional ways to improve the situation in Gaza, encourage involvement of the PA at the crossings and promote greater commerce between the West Bank and Gaza". And, the Quartet said, it is working "to effect a fundamental change in policy in Gaza".
The Associated Press reported Tuesday evening that Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi told "ultra-Orthodox soldiers in Kiryat Shmona" that "We have a natural right to examine and prevent the inflow of weapons into Gaza ... For those who are truly concerned about the [humanitarian] situation in Gaza and wants to bring medical supplies, they are welcome to dock in Ashdod. We will examine [the cargo] and let it in if needed."
The AP story, published in Haaretz, added that Ashkenazi said: "It is important that we stand up for this right ... We cannot allow Gaza to become an Iranian port."
Referring to plans by Lebanese activists to sail additional aid ships to Gaza despite Israel's naval blockade, Ashkenazi said: "If they seek peace, that's how we'll respond. If not, we will do what we have to do."
This can be read in full here.
Earlier, the IDF spokespersons website reported that "On Monday (June 21), Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke at the Socialist International Council at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and explained that, 'For Israel, the Gaza Strip today is an Iranian military base three kilometers from the closest Israeli city, and 60 kilometers from Tel Aviv. Hamas governs the Gaza Strip forcefully, and cruelly suppresses its political opponents ... The ships that were organized throughout the last few weeks to ´break the blockade´, are actually pure provocation, since there is no humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip', he said, adding that "any organization wishing to send aid to Gazan civilians is welcome to do so through the Ashdod port: 'Every day Israel provides, in addition to electricity and water, approximately 150 trucks loaded with equipment, and not only humanitarian aid products. Therefore, any international group or organization interested in sending additional aid, is welcome to do so through the Ashdod port, which in accordance with an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, is also used for the needs of the Gaza Strip ... [But] Israel cannot and will not permit free passage for ships delivering munitions to the Gaza coast. As long as a terrorist organization rules in the Gaza Strip, neither Israel nor Egypt will allow the entrance of those cargos. Israel has the right and the obligation to protect itself and it does so within the framework of International Law and the International Humanitarian Law', he said". This item is posted on the IDF Spokespersons website here.
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