Rice announces Israel, Palestinian agreement on movement, access
The US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice was able earlier in the day on Tuesday to convince both the Palestinian and the Israeli sides to sign a special agreement on crossings, including in particular, operating Rafah border crossing with Egypt by the fall of 25th of this month.
However, Rice warned that the agreement is fragile as well as the opportunity to repeat the peace negotiations. She added that the "way is long before us in order to implement the agreements we had finalized." The agreement states to open the other crossing points in Gaza continuously, including alMintar ( Carny ) and Erez with Israel.
"This agreement is intended to give the Palestinian people freedom to move, to trade, to live ordinary lives," Rice said at a press conference in Jerusalem. She was accompanied by the European Union's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and James Wolfensohn, the international community's special envoy for the Israeli disengagement from Gaza.
Rice said the agreement allows Palestinians to gain control over exit and entry into their territory for the first time since 1967, through an international border crossing at Rafah, with a target opening date of November 25.
The Rafah crossing will be manned by Egypt and the Palestinian Authority, with the European Union assisting in a third-party role.
The agreement calls for the start of bus and truck convoys between Gaza and the West Bank, the reduction of obstacles to movement within the West Bank, the export of Palestinian agricultural products, authorization to begin construction of a Palestinian seaport and acknowledgement by the parties of the importance of a Palestinian airport, Rice said.
The secretary also announced the appointment of US General Keith Dayton to succeed US General William Ward to oversee the training of the Palestinian security force.
"This agreement is a good step forward. With the international community, Israel and the Palestinian Authority must keep working hard to make these measures work in practice," Rice said.
According to this agreement, Israel will permit the passage of car convoys in order to facilitate the passage of goods and people between Gaza and the West Bank, according to a document issued by the US Department Of State.