Tag Archives: closure

Six more misconceptions about Gaza (the international edition)

In the last post, we attempted to delineate some of the common misconceptions or simplifications about Gaza, which, broadly speaking, are heard most often in Israel. This week, we’d like to list a few more that usually come at us from abroad. Continue reading

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The land crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt

The 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access marked the end of Israel’s military presence at the Rafah Crossing on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, yet allowed Israel to maintain substantial control over the terminal. This control was … Continue reading

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A moment for freedom

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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What have we learned from Gaza?

“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

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Myths and Facts on the Palmer Report

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

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Q&A on the Palmer report

The Palmer Commission, appointed by the UN secretary-general to investigate the events surrounding the Gaza flotilla in 2010, is expected to publish its report tomorrow. According to media reports, the commission is likely to find that Israel was within its rights to stop the vessels on their approach to Gaza, but will criticize the excessive use of force during the operation. Below, Gisha offers responses to several questions regarding legal status of the flotilla, the closure, and the connection between the two Continue reading

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Numbers, meet context

A new report by COGAT looks at statistics one year after the Israeli government decided to “expand the civilian policy toward the Strip” and “ease” the closure. How do the numbers look in the wider context? Continue reading

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Doing the math – 1.6 million people, zero export

At the time when preparations for the flotilla are underway, we wish to focus on the situation in Gaza and on the fact that Israel continues to prohibit export of goods from the Strip. Continue reading

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The top 10 reasons why the opening of Rafah Crossing just doesn’t cut it

In no particular order of importance, we thought we’d list some of the reasons why the opening of Rafah, while significant and helpful, doesn’t meet all of Gaza’s needs for access and why, as some voices in Israel have recently suggested, it can’t serve as Gaza’s only access point… Continue reading

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More mainstream than mainstream

Gisha is not alone. Over the last year, a growing number of voices in the Israeli media have called for an end to the closure of the Gaza Strip. The speakers – foremost among them Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – represent a broad spectrum of opinion in the Israeli public… Continue reading

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