Envoy urges Israel to reopen Gaza borders
(AP)
Updated: 2005-10-25 10:29

"The government of Israel, with its important security concerns, is loath to relinquish control, almost acting as though there has been no withdrawal, delaying making difficult decisions and preferring to take difficult matters back into slow-moving subcommittees," Wolfensohn wrote in the Oct. 17 letter to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

He said the differences could be quickly resolved, and expressed disappointment he failed to reach a solution during a trip to the region earlier this month.

"While the Palestinians were eager to come to closure, (Israel) preferred to leave difficult questions to committees that will not meet until after the Jewish holidays," he wrote. A month of Jewish holidays ends this week.

Among other issues, he said Israel delayed a key element of new border arrangements — the deployment of foreign inspectors from the European Union at Rafah.

The reopening of the borders is essential for economic recovery in Gaza, where unemployment is well over 30 percent.

"We all were hoping after the withdrawal the economic recovery will be enhanced. What has happened is exactly the contrary," said Palestinian Planning Minister Ghassan Khatib. "In the current situation, Gaza is really like a big prison."

The Israeli closures have cast a pall over Gaza during the current Muslim holy month of Ramadan — normally a time of celebration and shopping. With imports greatly hampered, store shelves lie bare, fruits like apples and bananas are hard to come by, and merchants complain that their businesses face ruin.

Basem Said, owner of a clothing store in Gaza City, said he has been waiting for weeks for a shipment to arrive from Turkey through an Israeli cargo crossing.

"I have only a few things left from last year's collection, and my customers are leaving my shop," he said. "The crossing is like oxygen for us."

Most of the goods that come to Gaza normally pass through Israel, and that border was more porous at times before Gaza militants fired rockets at Israel following the withdrawal. In the past, Israel had closed the border frequently because of violence or tension.

In his letter, Wolfensohn also criticized the Palestinians for raising salaries during a fiscal crisis, for their inability to control violence and chaos, and the Palestinian Authority's inability to function properly.

"My ... agenda is only a beginning — but it is a gateway through which we must step if we are to get back to the road map, and move to a settlement of this bitter and wasteful conflict," wrote Wolfensohn, referring to the stalled "road map" peace plan.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said the government wants Gaza to be a "success story" and understands the need to reopen the border crossings. But he said Israel's security must be kept in mind.

"We have to move ahead on the crossings issue by balancing the very real security threats with the desire to allow for maximum possible movement of people and goods," Regev said.

Israel's Army Radio said Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz would travel to Egypt on Wednesday for talks on the border issue, and officials said the Israeli Cabinet would discuss the matter Sunday.

Israeli officials pointed to last month's rocket barrage out of Gaza, as well as ongoing violence in the West Bank, as reason for moving with caution.