PM Netanyahu and Defense Minister Lieberman cite inability to guarantee effective security checks • But IDF, Shin Bet find no security reason not to build port, say diplomatic sources • Foreign and Finance Ministry sources call port a suitable solution.
By Shlomo CesanaISRAEL HAYOM
A proposed artificial island and seaport off the Gaza Strip coast appears to be sinking. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman have spoken out against Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz’s plan for the port, citing an inability to guarantee goods and people entering and exiting the port are monitored and checked.
In a response to a question from Israel Hayom earlier this week about the proposed port, Netanyahu called security checks at the port “problematic.”
Lieberman, siding with Netanyahu on the issue, said he is “firmly” opposed to the creation of a port.
“We cannot guarantee effective security checks,” he said.
However, contrary to Netanyahu’s and Lieberman’s stated positions, the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet security agency maintain there is no security reason not to build the island, senior diplomatic sources say. Sources at the Foreign Ministry and the Finance Ministry also believe that an offshore seaport is an appropriate solution from a diplomatic and financial perspective.
Katz recently called for the creation of an interministerial team to advance the project, but his request was denied by the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet.
The Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas, is under permanent naval and aerial blockade to prevent the entry of weapons and terrorists. Israel regularly allows the entry of goods after they pass a security check at the Ashdod Port. Hamas prohibits Gaza residents from leaving the strip through Jordan, as part of its attempts to exert international pressure on Israel as well as Egypt, which also enforces a blockade on Gaza.
Katz proposed the creation of an 8-kilometer (5-mile) artificial island off the coast of Gaza three years ago, so that Gazans would no longer be dependent on Israel. According to the proposal, the estimated $5 billion dollar cost of construction would come from foreign investments, and would cover the building of a seaport, airport, staff areas, hotels and advanced facilities for energy production and desalination. The island would be connected to the mainland by a bridge, similar to the ones at the Hadera and Ashkelon power plants, that could be closed off if necessary for security reasons.
no one seems concerned about the Hevron soldier or the locked up Jewish dissenters
they are quickly forgotten, which is what the criminals at the top depend upon.
why consider such a ridiculous notion? Israel doesnt need the port so why build it. For the gazans you say? why do a single thing positive for the enemy who keeps trying to kill your children? The euros and the pals might like us if we give them the port, you say? But every other time Israel gave them anything the euros blood libeled Israel and funded the gazans to kill jews.
There is no reason to better the life of a recalcitrant murderous enemy. IN fact, it is much more sensible to keep in penurous and close to starving, not allowing anything more in beyond a starvation diet. First, the diet keeps them weak and more docile,; second, it makes them use all their money to stay alive on food; third it encourages them to leave. Who are the idiots whose argument is to better their lives and to get the euros to like Israel?????
Which proves that they should stick to getting their jobs done and not second guess those elected to do theirs. They have failed to protect Israelis at that border becuase after many wars and dead Jews they still have the strength to fire rockets at Jewish children. The IDF and Shin Bet cannot judge properly as they have failed in that mission.
Incompetent analysis, it has been proven that there is a reverse corrolation between helping gaza and dead Jews. As for finance, there is no advantage to taking it out of Israeli hands where Israel makes shekels on each item brought in. Of course I have made no financial account of the personal riches envisioned by gluttonous pols pushing this deal….. its said that the kickbacks on such deals can create billionaires… and they last through years.
So who benefits, perhaps this guy can tell us:
why is that a financial asset to Israel? Their dependency is shekels to Israeli gov.
so who gets the kickbacks paid by who gets the profits???? Please Mr. Katz tell us. what is 10% of 5 billion just the construction cost alone. such projects are always inflated to take care of the kickbacks… also all the subcontracts are given for the connected to dole out. Someone is looking to make billions of dollars…
the only ones to benefit are those getting the profits and kickbacks on the deal… I wonder who can it be… please tell us Mr. Katz, who is likely to make all those kickbacks and profits?
gov and international projects are highly padded to maximize the profits and kickbacks.
who can it be?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SECVGN4Bsgg
Good this was killed. What a stupid idea. It would have ended up being one more place Israel would have to spend money on monitoring and securing. That is NOT FREE.