21.09.2005|Other|Principal Correspondence
Pre-petition letter: Restoring Basic Services to the Civilian Population of the Gaza Strip Following the Withdrawal
HaMoked again demands to restore basic services to the population of Gaza following the army's withdrawal. Following the withdrawal, the Rafah Crossing was closed, and to this day no solution has been found for Palestinians seeking to travel abroad. It also appears that there is an intention to thwart Palestinians' ability to object, through legal counsel, to decisions to prohibit their entry to Israel, and HaMoked demands that the identity of the agent in charge of this issue for Israel be publicized. HaMoked also states that the authorities pertaining to approval of passage from Gaza to the West Bank must not be transferred to the Minister of the Interior but rather to the GOC Central Command, who will continue to handle permits in accordance with his obligations under international law. A solution is also required to enable visits by members of divided families, visits by other relatives from Israel and family visits during the holidays, which were the norm until now.
