COGAT and other bodies facilitated the travel of several groups of Palestinian youth to Israel and Judea and Samaria this week
Date: 04/07/2012, 6:40 PM
Author: COGAT Website
This week, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, together with Israeli and international organizations, has coordinated the passage of various groups from Gaza into Israel and into Judea and Samaria.
On Monday (July 2), 36 Palestinians, including 18 sick children receiving medical care at Tel Aviv's Ichilov Hospital, crossed into Israel from Gaza, accompanied by their parents. The children and parents first traveled to the Jordan Village resort, and then visited historic and tourist sites in Israel. Their stay at the resort was partially financed by Israel's Ministry of Welfare.
Later that day, an additional group of 19 music lovers from Gaza's music school crossed into Israel, accompanied by their teachers. For eight days, these students and their peers from schools in Israel will participate in a music camp.
Additionally, a group of 19 disabled athletes from Gaza arrived in Israel on Monday, coming to participate in various sports activities held both in Israel and in Judea and Samaria.
The crossing of those three groups from Gaza into Israel was coordinated by Israeli officers and soldiers of the Gaza District Coordinating Office (DCO), representatives of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, and the Land Crossings Authority of Israel's Ministry of Defense.
Also on Monday, 12 Israeli and Palestinian representatives held a meeting on improving the importation of frozen meats from Israel into Gaza. The meeting, headed by Uri Madar, Coordinator of Agriculture at the Gaza DCO, brought together cattle dealers, customs agents, and owners of cooling plants. During the meeting, improvements were suggested for the marketing of Israeli cattle in Gaza.
Also recently, a Gaza textile factory exported sweaters via Israel to England.
Israel continues to provide gas and fuel to Gaza on a regular basis. During the 6 first months of 2012 Israel provided the Gaza Strip with 15,108,000 liters of diesel and gas with 401 tankers, which are part of the Qatar donation coming from Egypt through the Nitzana crossing and from there on Israeli tankers to the Kerem Shalom crossing.
In addition, Israel opened the Sufa crossing on Tuesday (July 3), despite the security risks involved, for the transfer of 70 thousand tons of aggregates for projects in the Gaza Strip funded by the international community.