11 maggio 2003


Israele vuole la licenza di uccidere il personale delle ONG e gli attivsti internazionali

Quello che segue è un comunicato dell'esercito, che chiede agli internazionali, ed espressamente al personale che lavora, di firmare una dichiarazione in cui si dice che Israele non è responsabile se qualcuno di noi viene ucciso, ferito o subisce danneggiamenti vari.

Vieta a chiunque, pena la galera, di avere rapporti con le organizzazioni "terroristiche" palestinesi, e mette espressamente fuori legge ISM international solidarity movement.


Alarming situation in the Gaza Strip and for internationals at Erez crossing

On behalf of the Task Force on Project Implementation
(USAID/UNSCO/WB/EC), I would like to update you on the
current situation in the Gaza Strip that include the
closing of the Karni (16 April to 4 May) and Erez (as
of 16 April and still in effect for national staff)
crossings. The TFPI has raised this issue at the
level of the Quartet envoys. The attached note was
distributed at their meeting yesterday evening.

For all internationals (except "diplomats" in the
strict sense) including for staff with service visas,
new security measures have been imposed when
entering/leaving Erez. The IDF is conducting security
checks by sending name/ID number for clearance as well
as possible body searches and/or interrogations.
Experiences show that such measures are implemented
and could take few hours.

Captain Levy (Erez level) informally contacted TFPI
members requesting a list of all international staff
for clearance by the security services. This is a new
limitation to our aid effort in the WBGS. He
presented such demand to help in facilitating our work
and added that the security constrains came from the
IDF-Central Command.

Recommendations

TFPI members agreed:

1. To advice all their consistencies not to
provide such list. Our reasoning is that presenting
Capt. Levy with such a list would in fact signal the
legitimisation and institutionalisation of these new
security measures. We do not believe that we should
be obtaining prior coordination / facilitation for
international staff to go into Gaza. In addition, no
official request from COGAT (Tel Aviv) to provide
lists has been received. Therefore the TFPI does not
endorse the submission of such lists.

2. To prepare a collective response to the
GoI/IDF/Civil Administration mentioning the following:


- Contrary to all agreements reached, the TFPI
has not been informed officially of the enacted policy
change. No official request for lists of staff has
been received.

- Nonetheless, Gaza COGAT staff is contacting
various international organizations, on a bilateral
basis, requesting those lists. According to the same
COGAT officials, the new measures will be permanent
and not temporary, as previously stated.

- The TFPI requests clarifications on this
issue, expressing grave concern over the new policy.
Furthermore, the TFPI re-iterates that the Coordinator
to the TFPI Chair should communicate all policy
changes enacted officially and in writing.

More specifically on the EU side, I would suggest:

1. To inform/brief all European colleagues on the
latest events.

2. To push for a follow up to a higher level (at
headquarters/capitals) to raise those issues with the
Government of Israel (GoI). I believe that the issue
will not be solved locally.

It should be mentioned that:

- Such request is not justified. The GoI has
all the names and passport info on all international
staff that works in the West Bank and Gaza staff. In
additional, how are we going to include the names of
all possible missions?

- Responding to these requests would mean that
we are in effect legitimising and institutionalising a
measure that we find not acceptable in the first
place.

- On what authority is Joseph Levy acting
(Erez Civil Administration)? Will sending a list to
him really facilitate our movement, what guarantees do
we have?

I'll keep you inform on the TFPI action/communication.

Looking forward to hearing from your feedback

Regards,

Sylvie

EU/TFPI member

Sylvie Fouet
European Commission Technical Assistance Office (West
Bank & Gaza Strip, UNRWA)
NEW OFFICE TEL/FAX NUMBERS
Tel. +972-2-5415847
Fax +972-2-5415848