Karni crossing
Photo: Gafi Kavlo
Karni crossing to reopen Thursday
Passage of goods through crossing in northern Gaza expected to resume Thursday morning following certain drop in alerts regarding planned terror attacks at site
The passage of goods through the Karni crossing in northern Gaza is expected to resume Thursday morning, this after the crossing was shut down two weeks ago.
The defense establishment decided to open the crossing and transfer humanitarian equipment that has accumulated on the Israeli side of the border following a certain drop in alerts regarding planned terror attacks at the site.
However, security sources have made it clear that the issue will be reassessed with any new intelligence information that may surface.
The crossing will be closed down again should the need arise, they said.
Karni serves as an “oxygen tube” for the Palestinian Authority, as food, medicine, textile and various essential products enter Gaza through the crossing, while goods for sale or for transfer to the West Bank also pass through it.
The merchandise is thoroughly inspected with x-ray machines operated by Israel Airports Authority employees, while IDF soldiers are responsible for general security.
About two years ago, two terrorists hiding in a container managed to infiltrate Israel and carry out a compound attack at the Ashdod port, killing 10 Israelis and wounding dozens of others.
Six Israelis were killed in the last terror attack at the Karni crossing itself, carried out more than a year ago.
‘There are still a few alerts’
The crossing was closed at the beginning of 2006 following intelligence information on an underground tunnel dug up at the site, but it was reopened when no such tunnel was found.
Two weeks ago, a large blast at the crossing brought about its closing once again, and last week Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz instructed that it remain closed in light of information regarding the “intent to carry out an attack at the site.”
During this period the Palestinians were offered to transfer goods via the Kerem Shalom and Sufah crossings, but they refused.
“There are still a few alerts regarding possible attempts by terror groups to launch attacks at checkpoints and crossings,” a security source said. “These crossings, which for the Palestinians are a light at the end of the tunnel for work or receiving merchandise, are not important to the terror organizations; they only conjure up plans to attack Israelis there or infiltrate Israel through the crossings to carry out attacks.”
