On October 23, 2006, HaMoked wrote to the Military Advocate General, stating that the closure of the office of the legal advisor at the Erez DCO, as part of the "disengagement plan" is a "cosmetic" act designed to strengthen Israel's claim that the Gaza Strip is no longer under military rule. The responsibilities of the advisory office have been distributed among several military offices, rendering its cancellation meaningless.
HaMoked claims that, as at the date on which the letter was written and despite the removal of the settlements and military facilities from the Gaza Strip, Israel maintains continual effective control of it, and often, physical presence in it. Israel controls all resources in the Gaza Strip: its border crossings, the quantities of medicine and essential supplies going into it, the quantity of diesel currently used for operating the generators which supply electricity to the Strip, the Palestinian population registry and the tax system and has a crucial impact on the daily lives of the Palestinian residents
In view of this, in accordance with international law, Israel is still an occupying power in the Gaza Strip and is therefore not exempt from its responsibilities toward the protected population therein.
To view the letter 
