Tuesday, April 08, 2014
- Tuesday, April 08, 2014
- Elder of Ziyon
Palestine Today quotes the head of the Euro-Mid Observer for Human Rights, Rami Abdo, saying that NGOs from Europe are asking Turkey to demand a ferry of sorts between Turkey and Gaza in the context of its negotiations with Israel.
Goods would be imported and exported between Gaza and Turkey exclusively, and from there to the rest of the world.
Abdo says that he will present the plan to Turkey in the next two days.
He says that it could be considered another border crossing like Rafah, and that EU observers could be there the way they used to be at Rafah to ensure that no weapons get transferred.
Turkey would likely be enthusiastic about such a plan, since they have made "lifting the siege of Gaza" one of their conditions for resuming diplomatic relations with Israel and this could qualify.
Israel would seem certain to reject this outright, because its naval blockade was carefully and legally set up and (as far as I can tell) one cannot legally have a partial blockade - if Israel allows Turkish ships into Gaza then it would have to allow al ships.
Chances are this will not see the light of day, but it seems likely that anti-Israel NGOs will try to use this as a PR weapon against Israel.
Goods would be imported and exported between Gaza and Turkey exclusively, and from there to the rest of the world.
Abdo says that he will present the plan to Turkey in the next two days.
He says that it could be considered another border crossing like Rafah, and that EU observers could be there the way they used to be at Rafah to ensure that no weapons get transferred.
Turkey would likely be enthusiastic about such a plan, since they have made "lifting the siege of Gaza" one of their conditions for resuming diplomatic relations with Israel and this could qualify.
Israel would seem certain to reject this outright, because its naval blockade was carefully and legally set up and (as far as I can tell) one cannot legally have a partial blockade - if Israel allows Turkish ships into Gaza then it would have to allow al ships.
Chances are this will not see the light of day, but it seems likely that anti-Israel NGOs will try to use this as a PR weapon against Israel.