Israel-PA Coordination on agricultural issues to be stepped up - 19-Aug-2001

Israel-PA Coordination on agricultural issues to be stepped up
(Communicated by the Coordinator of Activities in the Territories' Spokesman)

Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon, accompanied by Coordinator of Activities in the Territories Maj.-Gen. Amos Gilad, met today (Sunday), 19.8.2001, with his Palestinian Authority counterpart Hikmat Zaid. It was agreed to establish two joint teams whose goal is to ease the movement and transfer of agricultural products from the PA areas and Israel and between the various PA areas, and deal with veterinary services and supervision issues. It was also agreed to establish joint teams to approve coordination between Israel and the PA.

In contrast to the Palestinian claim that Israel is preventing the entry of merchandise and food to the PA areas, new data proves that in July and August merchandise and food continued to pass between Israel and the PA at full pace. Last week, for example, an average of approximately 660 commercial trucks daily passed through the crossing points into the Gaza Strip.

Last month, approximately 3,600 trucks involved in import/export passed through the Karni, Sufa and Rafiah crossing points. Approximately 200 trucks used the Allenby and Adam bridges over the Jordan River importing and exporting fruits and vegetables.

Twelve ships - the cargoes of which were designated for the Gaza Strip, and included thousands of tons of cement, iron and marble - were unloaded at Ashdod port.

Last week, approximately 17,000 head of cattle and sheep were transferred to the PA.

In July, approximately 8,000 tons of vegetables and 3,500 tons of fruit were sent from Israel to the PA, a relative increase over the figures for July 2000.

Approximately 2,000 tons of vegetables and approximately 300 tons of fruit passed from the Gaza Strip to Judea and Samaria. Also in July, approximately 5,000 tons of vegetables and approximately 44 tons of fruit passed from the Gaza Strip to Israel, a 154% increase over last year's figures in the volume of vegetables marketed in Israel.