Israel eases grip on Gaza, allows 1st exports to West Bank

PanARMENIAN.Net - Israel says it has allowed the export of goods from Gaza to the West Bank for the first time in five years, BBC News reported.

The military has authorised the transfer of at least 13 lorry loads of date bars in the next few days.

However it stressed this was a "one-off pilot project" and did not mean an end to the ban on exports from Gaza to markets in Israel and the West Bank, which was imposed in June 2007.

The World Food Programme asked for the move to feed Palestinian children.

Israel first imposed a blockade on Gaza in June 2006 after Palestinian militants captured one of its soldiers, Gilad Shalit, in a cross-border raid.

It was tightened a year later after the Islamist group, Hamas, took over the Palestinian territory by force.

Before mid-2007, 85% of Gaza's exports were being sold to Israel and the West Bank. Analysts say the trade ban has contributed to the collapse of its economy.

Although the blockade has been eased somewhat, it still remains in place.

The border between Egypt and Gaza is open to limited numbers of people.

Since the start of this year, Israel has allowed an average of two lorries of goods to leave Gaza each day, compared with 86 lorry loads per day in the first half of 2007.

Until this week, all exports were limited to markets abroad.