Erekat on Anniversary of the Agreement on Movement on Access

CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR SAEB EREKAT HOPES FOR “SERIOUS INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT” IN IMPLEMENTING THE AGREEMENT ON MOVEMENT AND ACCESS

One year after the signing of the Agreement on Movement and Access, two thirds of Palestinian households in the occupied Palestinian territory live in poverty, up from 50% in 2005. In Gaza, 88% of households live in poverty today, up from 63% in 2005. Meanwhile, the political crisis continues to escalate as Israel continues to assault Palestinian communities in Gaza and in the West Bank.

“One year after the Agreement was signed, the situation on the ground has gotten drastically worse,” said Erekat. “We would not be in the intense crisis we are in today had the [Agreement on Movement and Access] been implemented.”

Since last year, none of the Agreement’s provisions have been fully implemented by Israel. For an updated version of a detailed fact sheet on the Agreement on Movement and Access and its implementation status.

Erekat explained that though the Agreement on Movement and Access’ primary objective was the lessening of the humanitarian and economic crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory, its proper implementation and the ensuing improvements in the daily lives of Palestinians would have created conditions that would have been conducive to a constructive political process between Israelis and Palestinians. “The Agreement’s non-implementation represents a missed-opportunity to jump-start the peace process,” said Erekat.

“We hope that the United States, the European Union, Egypt and the rest of the international community will help us move beyond the current impasse and see to the Agreement’s full implementation,” Erekat said. “We welcome their recent positive engagement on the issue,” he concluded.