The tax system

Posted on November 14, 2011

Israel continues to control taxation in the Gaza Strip, which forms part of a single customs envelope along with Israel and the West Bank. This means that Israel sets the customs and Value Added Tax rates collected for goods and … Continue reading →

Posted in scale of control | 3 Comments

Physical control of the Gaza Strip

Posted on November 14, 2011

Following “disengagement” in 2005, Israel continued to control the area adjacent to its border with the Gaza Strip on the Palestinian side. In 2008, Israel expanded this area, referred to as the “no-go” zone, and today it covers a distance … Continue reading →

Posted in scale of control | 5 Comments

Control of civilian infrastructure

Posted on November 14, 2011

Israel controls the supply of infrastructure upon which the Gaza Strip is reliant. Gaza’s electricity system, as developed since 1967, is largely based on power supplied from Israel through 11 high voltage transmission lines1.  A power station was built in … Continue reading →

Posted in scale of control | 1 Comment

Control over the Palestinian Authority and movement between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Posted on November 14, 2011

Following Hamas’ takeover of internal control in Gaza in June 2007, the Palestinian Authority’s influence over Gaza has significantly diminished, and most of the routine administration of the government and public services, such as the education system, policing, sanitation and … Continue reading →

Posted in scale of control | 4 Comments

At Rosh HaShana dinner with a side of Gaza – hold the politics, please

Posted on November 7, 2011

My cousin’s mother-in-law is not the only person from whom I hear that “we left Gaza, and in return they fired missiles at us”. We hear that message from newspaper columnists, military commentators and others, as well as at the holiday dinner table. This narrative is based on an almost intuitive principle that control equals responsibility. Continue reading →

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The Shalit deal: Responding to feedback

Posted on October 30, 2011

After the Shalit deal was announced, we issued a news release in which we expressed empathy for Gilad Shalit’s family and the families of the soon to be released Palestinian prisoners. We have received a number of responses criticizing our … Continue reading →

Posted in Human rights | 1 Comment

A moment for freedom

Posted on October 17, 2011

The deal to free Gilad Shalit in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners is a moment of liberation not only for them and their families but for all residents of Israel and the Gaza Strip Continue reading →

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From Gaza with lulav

Posted on October 10, 2011

Ahead of the Jewish festival of Sukkot which begins this Wednesday, lulavs, palm fronds used in religious rituals of the holiday, are in big demand in Israel. A minor crisis arose therefore when Egypt announced that it will not be … Continue reading →

Posted in Movement of goods out of Gaza | 1 Comment

What have we learned from Gaza?

Posted on October 4, 2011

“But Israel did more than just make sweeping offers. We actually left territory. We withdrew from Lebanon in 2000 and from every square inch of Gaza in 2005. That didn’t calm the Islamic storm, the militant Islamic storm that threatens … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 3 Comments

Myths and Facts on the Palmer Report

Posted on September 7, 2011

This week we address some common myths and misconceptions which have emerged over the past days following the release of the Report of the Secretary-General’s Panel of Inquiry on the 31 May 2010 Flotilla Incident (in other words, the Palmer Report). These are myths which we identified in the report itself, in the Israeli and Turkish positions as they are summarized in the report, as well as in public debate (mainly in the media) sparked by the report. Continue reading →

Posted in Flotilla | 5 Comments