| September 2000 - Return to Monthly Index MiddleEast.Org 9/14/00 |
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ISRAELIS REMAIN IN CONTROL EVERYWHERE,
GAZA INCLUDED
MID-EAST REALITIES - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 9/14:
Even in Gaza today, the Israelis are really in charge. First of all about 30% of Gaza remains in the direct hands of Israeli settlers and the Israeli army. And secondly the Israelis control all entry and exit from Gaza. These crucial realities have been obscured by a purposeful political fog useful to both the Israelis and the Arafat Authority, which continues to act as a kind of internal police force controlling the penned-in Gaza population.
But the incident involving Egypt Air earlier this week helps unmask the realities of the situation. Few Egyptian pilots ever fly to Gaza - there are very few flights. But earlier this week an Egypt Air pilot got a rude awakening. Before being allowed to depart Israeli security had to clear his plane, as is the normal requirement, though one not discussed for obvious reasons. Even the pilot was not aware that this is how things with the "Palestinian Authority" really work, the Israelis behind-the-scenes still in charge of all crucial matters deciding who can go and come and when.
MER has just learned that the pilot involved is a very senior Egypt Air pilot who in fact is the head of the Egyptian Pilots Association. Probably at this point "was" the head.
Instead of being backed up, Egypt Air has reprimanded and suspended the pilot -- which is consistent of course with the Egyptian Regime's considerable complicity in promoting this deceptive state of affairs and pushing Arafat to now sign the "end the conflict" agreement with Israel.
The situation in Gaza is a good paradigm for all that is happening.
The settlement Israel and the U.S. are about to force upon the Palestinians,
using the Arafat Regime, does similar things when it comes to "sharing"
Jerusalem and creating a "Palestinian State". In each case the principles
are rhetorically touted for all to hear, but the realities on the ground
are that the Israelis remain in charge and Palestinian integrity is every
dissected and polluted.
EGYPT AIR PILOT SUSPENDED AFTER
NIXING ISRAELI SECURITY CHECK
AT GAZA AIRPORT
The Associated Press 12 September 2000
CAIRO - An EgyptAir pilot who refused to allow an Israeli security team
to
inspect his plane at Gaza airport has been suspended by the carrier
pending
an investigation into the incident, officials said on Tuesday.
Capt. Ali Murad prevented Israeli guards from boarding his plane in
Gaza on
Friday, saying the aircraft was "sovereign Egyptian territory" and
that he
was following civil aviation laws. He then flew back to Cairo, leaving
91
passengers behind.
Mohamed Rayan, chairman of EgyptAir, said it cost the company thousands
of
dollars to send another plane to retrieve the passengers.
Rayan said Murad violated an agreement between Egyptian, Palestinian
and
Israeli authorities, that allows Palestinian and Israeli security agents
to
inspect planes in Gaza before departure.
Murad said that if he had known about the agreement, he would not have
flown
to Gaza.
Gaza airport is run by the Palestinian Authority but is subject to overall
Israeli security control.
ISRAELIS REMAIN IN CONTROL EVERYWHERE,
GAZA INCLUDED
MID-EAST REALITIES - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 9/14:
Even in Gaza today, the Israelis are really in charge. First of all about 30% of Gaza remains in the direct hands of Israeli settlers and the Israeli army. And secondly the Israelis control all entry and exit from Gaza. These crucial realities have been obscured by a purposeful political fog useful to both the Israelis and the Arafat Authority, which continues to act as a kind of internal police force controlling the penned-in Gaza population.
But the incident involving Egypt Air earlier this week helps unmask the realities of the situation. Few Egyptian pilots ever fly to Gaza - there are very few flights. But earlier this week an Egypt Air pilot got a rude awakening. Before being allowed to depart Israeli security had to clear his plane, as is the normal requirement, though one not discussed for obvious reasons. Even the pilot was not aware that this is how things with the "Palestinian Authority" really work, the Israelis behind-the-scenes still in charge of all crucial matters deciding who can go and come and when.
MER has just learned that the pilot involved is a very senior Egypt Air pilot who in fact is the head of the Egyptian Pilots Association. Probably at this point "was" the head.
Instead of being backed up, Egypt Air has reprimanded and suspended the pilot -- which is consistent of course with the Egyptian Regime's considerable complicity in promoting this deceptive state of affairs and pushing Arafat to now sign the "end the conflict" agreement with Israel.
The situation in Gaza is a good paradigm for all that is happening.
The settlement Israel and the U.S. are about to force upon the Palestinians,
using the Arafat Regime, does similar things when it comes to "sharing"
Jerusalem and creating a "Palestinian State". In each case the principles
are rhetorically touted for all to hear, but the realities on the ground
are that the Israelis remain in charge and Palestinian integrity is every
dissected and polluted.
EGYPT AIR PILOT SUSPENDED AFTER
NIXING ISRAELI SECURITY CHECK
AT GAZA AIRPORT
The Associated Press 12 September 2000
CAIRO - An EgyptAir pilot who refused to allow an Israeli security team
to
inspect his plane at Gaza airport has been suspended by the carrier
pending
an investigation into the incident, officials said on Tuesday.
Capt. Ali Murad prevented Israeli guards from boarding his plane in
Gaza on
Friday, saying the aircraft was "sovereign Egyptian territory" and
that he
was following civil aviation laws. He then flew back to Cairo, leaving
91
passengers behind.
Mohamed Rayan, chairman of EgyptAir, said it cost the company thousands
of
dollars to send another plane to retrieve the passengers.
Rayan said Murad violated an agreement between Egyptian, Palestinian
and
Israeli authorities, that allows Palestinian and Israeli security agents
to
inspect planes in Gaza before departure.
Murad said that if he had known about the agreement, he would not have
flown
to Gaza.
Gaza airport is run by the Palestinian Authority but is subject to overall
Israeli security control.
MID-EAST REALITIES - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 9/14:
Even in Gaza today, the Israelis are really in charge. First of all about 30% of Gaza remains in the direct hands of Israeli settlers and the Israeli army. And secondly the Israelis control all entry and exit from Gaza. These crucial realities have been obscured by a purposeful political fog useful to both the Israelis and the Arafat Authority, which continues to act as a kind of internal police force controlling the penned-in Gaza population.
But the incident involving Egypt Air earlier this week helps unmask the realities of the situation. Few Egyptian pilots ever fly to Gaza - there are very few flights. But earlier this week an Egypt Air pilot got a rude awakening. Before being allowed to depart Israeli security had to clear his plane, as is the normal requirement, though one not discussed for obvious reasons. Even the pilot was not aware that this is how things with the "Palestinian Authority" really work, the Israelis behind-the-scenes still in charge of all crucial matters deciding who can go and come and when.
MER has just learned that the pilot involved is a very senior Egypt Air pilot who in fact is the head of the Egyptian Pilots Association. Probably at this point "was" the head.
Instead of being backed up, Egypt Air has reprimanded and suspended the pilot -- which is consistent of course with the Egyptian Regime's considerable complicity in promoting this deceptive state of affairs and pushing Arafat to now sign the "end the conflict" agreement with Israel.
The situation in Gaza is a good paradigm for all that is happening.
The settlement Israel and the U.S. are about to force upon the Palestinians,
using the Arafat Regime, does similar things when it comes to "sharing"
Jerusalem and creating a "Palestinian State". In each case the principles
are rhetorically touted for all to hear, but the realities on the ground
are that the Israelis remain in charge and Palestinian integrity is every
dissected and polluted.
EGYPT AIR PILOT SUSPENDED AFTER
NIXING ISRAELI SECURITY CHECK
AT GAZA AIRPORT
The Associated Press 12 September 2000
CAIRO - An EgyptAir pilot who refused to allow an Israeli security team
to
inspect his plane at Gaza airport has been suspended by the carrier
pending
an investigation into the incident, officials said on Tuesday.
Capt. Ali Murad prevented Israeli guards from boarding his plane in
Gaza on
Friday, saying the aircraft was "sovereign Egyptian territory" and
that he
was following civil aviation laws. He then flew back to Cairo, leaving
91
passengers behind.
Mohamed Rayan, chairman of EgyptAir, said it cost the company thousands
of
dollars to send another plane to retrieve the passengers.
Rayan said Murad violated an agreement between Egyptian, Palestinian
and
Israeli authorities, that allows Palestinian and Israeli security agents
to
inspect planes in Gaza before departure.
Murad said that if he had known about the agreement, he would not have
flown
to Gaza.
Gaza airport is run by the Palestinian Authority but is subject to overall
Israeli security control.
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