Israel eases Gaza blockade

[bemildred]

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel is easing its blockade on Gaza, the Defense Ministry confirmed to local media.

Israel will allow previously banned construction material into the coastal strip, it was reported Wednesday. The loosening of restrictions comes following the Egyptian-mediated truce last month between the Palestinian leadership in Gaza and Israel that ended Israel's Operation Pillar of Defense.

Prior to the truce, only international aid groups could bring in certain construction material.

Beginning next week, gravel for construction is scheduled to enter Gaza for the first time in five years, a Palestinian official told the French news agency AFP.

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2012/12/26/3115456/israel-eases-gaza-blockade

[King_David]

1. Good. nt

[azurnoir]

2. possibly related

Fayyad signs agreement with World Bank for Gaza water improvements

Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Mariam Sherman, the director of the World Bank in Palestine, signed on Thursday an agreement of rehabilitation for the Gaza Strip.

This agreement is to finance and focus on expanding the water supply and sewage in the Gaza Strip.

The agreement also includes technical and operational assistance to the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility in order to enable them to provide water services and sanitation as fully as possible.

Shadad al-Atili, the head of the water authority, explained that the demand on water increased due to the increasing population.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=551504

[bemildred]

3. I posted it mainly for the "there is no blockade" people.

But also, we seem to have a new, implicit status quo WRT Gaza since the latest political war, although the new situation in Egypt may have a lot to do with that too, Egypt is in a position to thwart any policy it does not agree with.

[King_David]

5. Great , I think it's good to post stuff for those people. nt

[bemildred]

4. Egypt transfers tons of building materials to Gaza

EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) — Thousands of tons of building materials such as cement and steel began crossing into the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Egyptian and Palestinian officials said, temporarily easing a five year old blockade on the coastal territory.

An Egyptian security official said shipment was made in consultation with Israeli officials, who were in Cairo Thursday to discuss security in the Sinai Peninsula and the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreed upon by Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel last month. The Egyptian official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The director of Gaza's border authority, Maher Abu Sabha, confirmed to The Associated Press that a total of 20 trucks carrying materials were expected to arrive in the coastal strip Saturday through the Rafah border crossing.

Qatar is paying for the raw materials that were bought in Egypt, the official added.

http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Egypt-transfers-tons-of-building-materials-to-Gaza-4153969.php

[azurnoir]

6. so Egypt did this in consultation with Israel

and Israeli officials are or were in Egypt earlier this week, it appears Israel and Morsi's government are working together despite what we're told elsewhere about Egypt's genocidal threats thanks