Annan noted in a press conference in Ramallah that he made his opinion clear during his meetings in Israel. Beyond maintaining life a way of life must also be maintained, he said, adding that the blockade on Gaza must be lifted and the crossings must be opened. Israel must not only allow goods in, but also allow Palestinians to export, he said.It’s interesting to note how Annan is attempting to spin and frame the idea that the Israelis are controlling the Gaza Strip’s 'only border crossing', and therefore, Palestinian market access to the wider world is entirely subjected to the whim of the Israeli Administration. While the truth is a far different animal.
The Karni Border Crossing is not the only border crossing from the Gaza Strip into Israel but it the most vulnerable border crossing from the standpoint of Israeli security. The heavily fortified and somewhat smaller border crossing of Kerem Shalom has remained opened much to the dismay of the Palestinian Authority, who insist that isn't good enough, and demand access to the Karni border crossing or nothing.
Furthermore, the Palestinian Authority does maintain a border crossing directly with the Egyptians on the Gaza-Egyptian border. I am not sure why the Palestinian Authority insists on maintaining the fiction that the Gaza Strip has no border crossing with anyone else but Israel. Surely, it’s well past the time for Arab Palestinians to develop markets for their goods and services independent and outside of Israel! If I was the UN Secretary-General that would certainly be one of the messages I would insist on relying to the Palestinian Authority, besides buck up and stop whining.
And how utterly strange and perverse, for a UN Secretary-General to tell a sovereign nation who they must trade with! Imagine how well it would have gone over in Washington if Kofi Annan started to demand the Americans trade with Cuba or Iran - whether they liked it or not.
No comments:
Post a Comment