The Status of Confidence Building Measures in the Civil-Economic Field

General

On November 27, the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense agreed to an additional series of military and economic steps in an aim to resume the security cooperation with the Palestinian Authority and create infrastructure for confidence-building measures, in order to explore every prospect of eventually returning to the negotiating table.

The following were concluded in this framework:

1. Opening of international passages.
2. Israel shall continue to respect its commitments as stipulated by the Interim agreements to transfer to the Palestinian Authority all the monies collected by Israel on behalf of the P.A.
3. Continued entry of gas and fuel
4. Continued entry of food, medicine and humanitarian aid, and exit of agricultural products through the Karni Passage.
5. Entry of building materials, preferably from Jordan.
6. Humanitarian donations from Jordan.
7. Entry of 18 ambulances through Rafiah.
8. Free movement of VIP/1.
9. Opening of the Gaza Airport.
10. Food donations from an Iraqi source.
11. Entry of raw materials to the Karni Industrial Zone and exit of merchandise for export.

Details:

In accordance with instructions, the following civil-economic activities were carried out beginning November 28:

a. International passages

1. The Allenby Bridge - open and routinely operative between 08:00- 24:00, without the presence of Palestinian border control personnel.
   Entered - 1,120 people. Exited - 818 people.

2. The Rafiah Terminal - opened on November 28 and routinely operative between 08:00-16:00, without the presence of Palestinian border control personnel. Entered- 976 people. Exited - 665 people.

   Remark: it should be noted that Palestinian border control personnel do not enter, due to their refusal to undergo a security check on entry to the terminal.

3. The Gaza Airport - opened for operation on December 1st. In total - 18 flights to Cairo, Amman and Jada (8 landings - 240 passengers, and 10 takeoffs - 708 passengers).

b. Humanitarian donations

1. Entry, through the Allenby Bridge, of 9 trucks from Jordan carrying medical equipment and food for Nablus and Ramallah (November 29-30).

2. Entry of 18 ambulances from Egypt to the Palestinian Authority through the Rafiah Terminal (November 28-29).

3. Entry of a donation from Iraq (anticipated: 68 truckloads of flour, oil, sugar, rice and powdered milk): On December 4, 10 trucks arrived at the Jordanian side of the Allenby Passage. A gradual entry was agreed upon with the Palestinians. The matter is being coordinated with Customs and the Counter-Terrorism Bureau.

For the period January-November 2000, a total of NIS 2.2346 million was transferred to the Palestinian Authority. Of this, NIS 99.6 million, were transferred during the month of November. It should be noted that for this period, the Palestinian Authority has received full and complete payments for all monies owed to them.

d. Commercial activity

1. The Karni Passage:
   Merchandise to Israel - 480 truckloads.
   In this framework: agricultural products to Israel and Judea & Samaria - 88 trucks and export abroad: strawberries (61 tons) and flowers (505,000 carnations).
   Merchandise to the Gaza Strip - 700 truckloads.

2. The Gaza Industrial Zone (Karni) - the exit of 24 trucks carrying merchandise to Israel and for export. The entry of 14 trucks carrying raw materials to the Industrial Zone.

3. Entry of 800 calves on the occasion of the Ramadan holiday (December 3).

   Remark: the passage closes at 15:30 (earlier than usual), as per the Palestinians' request on the occasion of the Ramadan holiday.

1. Cement for the Gaza Strip from the Port of Ashdod and the Nesher Company, through Karni - 120 truckloads (approximately 3,600 tons).

2. Cement to the Gaza Strip from Nesher - 3 truckloads (beginning December 4).

3. Cement from Israel to Judea and Samaria - 150 truckloads (approximately 4,500 tons).

4. Cement from Jordan in the D.T.D. Method - 38 truckloads (approximately 1,200 tons).

1. 2,600,000 litres of benzine and diesel oil and 1,060 tons of gas were transferred to the Gaza Strip.

2. 2,600,000 liters of benzine and diesel oil and 730 tons of gas transferred to Judea and Samaria.

3. Entry of 170,000 liters of airplane fuel to the Gaza Strip.

1. Movement of VIP/1 to Israel is authorized, without inspection, between the zones and in international passages.

2. Gradual opening of a parallel route to Salah a-Din (beginning November 28). On December 4, it opened to traffic 24 hours a day.

3. The main route (Salah a-Din) is to be opened between 09:00-12:00 (beginning December 4).

4. Removal of the closure in Kalkilya.