By Amira Hass (Haaretz)
Israel allows only food, medicine and detergent into the Gaza Strip.Thousands of items, including vital products for everyday activity,are forbidden.Altogether only 30 to 40 select commercial items are now allowed intothe Gaza Strip, compared to 4,000 that had been approved before theclosure Israel imposed on Gaza following the abduction of GiladShalit, according to merchants and human rights activists.The number of items changes according to what is determined by TheCoordinator of Government Activities in the Territories. COGAT hasrefused the PA representative's request for an updated list of theitems permitted into Gaza in writing, and passes the information onlyvia the telephone.Gaza merchants are forbidden to import canned goods, plastic sheeting,toys and books, although the United Nations Relief and Works Agencyand other aid organizations are permitted to bring them into thestrip.
The few items merchants are allowed to trade in are divided into threecategories: food, medicine and detergent. Everything else is forbidden- including building materials (which are necessary to rehabilitateGaza's ruins and rebuild its infrastructure), electric appliances suchas refrigerators and washing machines, spare machine and car parts,fabrics, threads, needles, light bulbs, candles, matches, books,musical instruments, crayons, clothing, shoes, mattresses, sheets,blankets, cutlery, crockery, cups, glasses and animals. Many of thebanned products are imported through the tunnels and can be found inGaza's markets.Pasta, which had been forbidden in the past, is now allowed, afterU.S. Senator John Kerry expressed his astonishment at the ban during avisit to Gaza in February. But tea, coffee, sausages, semolina, milkproducts in large packages and most baking products are forbidden. Soare industrial commodities for manufacturing food products, chocolate,sesame seeds and nuts. I
srael does allow importing fruit, milkproducts in small packages and frozen food products as well as limitedamounts of industrial fuel.The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported thatduring the first week of May, 2.2 million liters of industrial fuel -some 70 percent of the weekly supply required to operate the powerstation - was allowed into Gaza. UNRWA receives petrol and dieselsupplies separately. A daily 270-300 tons of cooking gas - 54 percentof the required amount - is allowed.Petrol and diesel for private cars and public transportation have notbeen imported from Israel since November 2, 2008, except for a smallamount for UNRWA. The union of Gaza's gas station owners estimatesthat some 100,000 liters of diesel and 70,000 liters of petrol arebrought through the tunnels daily.Egypt, which in the past two months has been restricting the trademovement through the tunnels, does not limit the supply of gas andfuel. But since Egyptian fuel is heavier than Israeli fuel, it damagesthe newer cars in Gaza and causes malfunctions.In the past, Israel allowed wood for home furnishings to be broughtinto Gaza for some time, but not wood for windows and doors.
NowIsrael has resumed the ban on wood for furniture.The ban on toilet paper, diapers and sanitary napkins was lifted threemonths ago. A little more than a month ago, following a long ban,Israel permitted the import of detergents and soaps into Gaza. Evenshampoo was allowed. But one merchant discovered that the bottles ofshampoo he had ordered were sent back because they includedconditioner, which was not on the list.Five weeks ago Israel allowed margarine, salt and artificial sweetenerto be brought into Gaza. Legumes have been allowed for the past twomonths and yeast for the past two weeks. Contrary to rumors, Israelhas not banned sugar.COGAT commented that, "The policy of bringing commodities derives fromand is coordinated with Israel's policy toward the Gaza Strip, asdetermined by the cabinet decision on September 19, 2007."
A COGAT forum convenes with representatives of internationalorganizations weekly to address special requests of the internationalcommunity regarding humanitarian equipment and the changing needs ofthe Palestinian population, the statement says.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=1086045
ePalestine Blog:http://www.epalestine.com/
"To the Children & Future of Palestine"
Israel allows only food, medicine and detergent into the Gaza Strip.Thousands of items, including vital products for everyday activity,are forbidden.Altogether only 30 to 40 select commercial items are now allowed intothe Gaza Strip, compared to 4,000 that had been approved before theclosure Israel imposed on Gaza following the abduction of GiladShalit, according to merchants and human rights activists.The number of items changes according to what is determined by TheCoordinator of Government Activities in the Territories. COGAT hasrefused the PA representative's request for an updated list of theitems permitted into Gaza in writing, and passes the information onlyvia the telephone.Gaza merchants are forbidden to import canned goods, plastic sheeting,toys and books, although the United Nations Relief and Works Agencyand other aid organizations are permitted to bring them into thestrip.
The few items merchants are allowed to trade in are divided into threecategories: food, medicine and detergent. Everything else is forbidden- including building materials (which are necessary to rehabilitateGaza's ruins and rebuild its infrastructure), electric appliances suchas refrigerators and washing machines, spare machine and car parts,fabrics, threads, needles, light bulbs, candles, matches, books,musical instruments, crayons, clothing, shoes, mattresses, sheets,blankets, cutlery, crockery, cups, glasses and animals. Many of thebanned products are imported through the tunnels and can be found inGaza's markets.Pasta, which had been forbidden in the past, is now allowed, afterU.S. Senator John Kerry expressed his astonishment at the ban during avisit to Gaza in February. But tea, coffee, sausages, semolina, milkproducts in large packages and most baking products are forbidden. Soare industrial commodities for manufacturing food products, chocolate,sesame seeds and nuts. I
srael does allow importing fruit, milkproducts in small packages and frozen food products as well as limitedamounts of industrial fuel.The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported thatduring the first week of May, 2.2 million liters of industrial fuel -some 70 percent of the weekly supply required to operate the powerstation - was allowed into Gaza. UNRWA receives petrol and dieselsupplies separately. A daily 270-300 tons of cooking gas - 54 percentof the required amount - is allowed.Petrol and diesel for private cars and public transportation have notbeen imported from Israel since November 2, 2008, except for a smallamount for UNRWA. The union of Gaza's gas station owners estimatesthat some 100,000 liters of diesel and 70,000 liters of petrol arebrought through the tunnels daily.Egypt, which in the past two months has been restricting the trademovement through the tunnels, does not limit the supply of gas andfuel. But since Egyptian fuel is heavier than Israeli fuel, it damagesthe newer cars in Gaza and causes malfunctions.In the past, Israel allowed wood for home furnishings to be broughtinto Gaza for some time, but not wood for windows and doors.
NowIsrael has resumed the ban on wood for furniture.The ban on toilet paper, diapers and sanitary napkins was lifted threemonths ago. A little more than a month ago, following a long ban,Israel permitted the import of detergents and soaps into Gaza. Evenshampoo was allowed. But one merchant discovered that the bottles ofshampoo he had ordered were sent back because they includedconditioner, which was not on the list.Five weeks ago Israel allowed margarine, salt and artificial sweetenerto be brought into Gaza. Legumes have been allowed for the past twomonths and yeast for the past two weeks. Contrary to rumors, Israelhas not banned sugar.COGAT commented that, "The policy of bringing commodities derives fromand is coordinated with Israel's policy toward the Gaza Strip, asdetermined by the cabinet decision on September 19, 2007."
A COGAT forum convenes with representatives of internationalorganizations weekly to address special requests of the internationalcommunity regarding humanitarian equipment and the changing needs ofthe Palestinian population, the statement says.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=1086045
ePalestine Blog:http://www.epalestine.com/
"To the Children & Future of Palestine"
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