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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israel says it sets international border with Gaza |
| 2005-09-21 |
| Israel declared its frontier with the Gaza Strip an international border on Wednesday, formally setting part of a boundary for the first time with an eventual Palestinian state. Israeli Interior Minister Ofer Pines-Paz called the measure, which he signed, "a first step to civilianise the passages and to turn them into borders" between Israel and Gaza after Israel completed a military pullout from the territory on Sept. 12. Sabine Haddad, a ministry spokeswoman, said Pines had turned four crossing points between Gaza and Israel into official border crossings. "For Israel this is now an international border," he said. Israelis and foreign nationals will now need a passport to move between Israel and all parts of Gaza, and will fill out border entry forms rather than military documents as they had before, Haddad said. But she said the few Palestinians allowed into Israel for jobs or medical care would not need a passport to do so, and would still require security permits. Palestinians, who dispute Israel's efforts to retain control over Gaza's key border crossings for now after declaring an end to 38 years of military rule there, dismissed the Israeli measure to set a border as premature. "I don't think we can classify it legally as an international border now because Gaza is not free of occupation," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said. "I think international borders will be agreed once we finish permanent status negotiations on borders," he said. Palestinians are also unhappy that Israel, citing security needs, is keeping control over Gaza's sea lanes and air space. ... |
| Posted by:ed |
| #5 Here is the text of the original Oslo agreement. I found Article II, Section B.24 deals with electricity. Basically, the PA buys it from Israel, and other details, yada^3. Article II, Section B.31 concerns water and sewage. The PA is responsible for their water sources. Of course they over pumped and the wells went saline. They buy water from Israel. It seems to me that if there is no Palestinian Authority, then there is nobody to have an agreement with, and Oslo is null and void. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-09-21 17:09 |
| #4 Gosh! You don't think that the Palestinians are planning on doing anything that might provoke a war, do you? I thought they were going to "nation build" for a while.... |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2005-09-21 16:44 |
| #3 Under the Oslo agreement, IIRC, Israel is obligated to provide an amount of electric power and water for the Paleos in Gaza. So if the Paleos become a belligerant state, when could Israel say that, due to the PA falling into anarchy, that there is no authority in Gaza no' mo', and that Oslo does not apply and the electricity and water are being shut off. THAT will get someone's attention. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-09-21 16:42 |
| #2 The real issue is retaliation for attacks. If Gaza is another country, then Israel has the right to defend itself and attacks constitute (arguably) a declaration of war. OTOH, if Israel is an occupier, it has international / treaty obligations that restrict it's actions. |
| Posted by: lotp 2005-09-21 14:21 |
| #1 "Control over sea lanes and airspace" is very mild and no real burden if you wish to conduct ordinary commerce. It is intolerable only if you wish to import weapons and people with outstanding warrants and ill intent. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-09-21 11:51 |