Israel approves increasing export of goods from Gaza Strip

The cabinet ministers were presented with data on economic growth in the Gaza Strip,which they were told is expected to continue until the end of 2010.

The ministers were also informed of the measures taken by Israel to ease the lives of Palestinians in the coastal territory in the last few months.

The Israeli cabinet has recently approved seventy- eight projects in Gaza sponsored by international organisations and foreign countries in the fields of health,infrastructure,water,sewage,housing,and education.

Israel however demanded that the international community continue its boycott of the Hamas regime and continue taking steps to prevent the group from attaining missiles.

“Arming Hamas is against international law,harms the interests of the population in Gaza,and it will harm Israel’s ability to continue easing and bettering the economic situation in Gaza,” the statement said.

The exports,which will occur through the Kerem Shalom crossing point in southern Gaza,will include three types of goods: furniture,farming products and light industry products.

The exports from Gaza to foreign countries will be unrestricted,while exports to the West Bank will be for specific projects in coordination with the Palestinian Authority (PA),Ha’aretz reported.

PA inspectors are also likely to begin work at the Keren Shalom crossing,and oversee the collection of import taxes and the export of goods from Gaza to the West Bank.

This would mark the first return of PA officials to the Gaza Strip since the violent Hamas takeover of the territory in June 2007. Israel has come under intense pressure from human rights organisations and various international bodies to ease its restrictions on Gaza,which many have described as collective punishment of 1.5 million impoverished Palestinians living in the Hamas controlled territory.

There have been also defiant siege breaking efforts through the sea in which nine Turkish pro-Palestinian activists were killed in clashes with Israeli naval commandos leading to international furore.

The incident provoked global ire and Israel announced several measures to ease the lives of Palestinians in the wake of the controversial raid being investigated by an internal Israeli panel as well as the United Nations.