Philadelphi Route
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The Philadelphi Route (corridor / buffer zone) was an IDF code name for the strip of land along the border between Egypt and Gaza Strip. Under the Oslo Accords, the portion in the Gaza Strip remained under direct Israeli military control. In September 2005, following Israel's unilateral disengagement plan, the IDF handed over control of the Philadelphi Route to the Palestinian National Authority. Since the Battle of Gaza (2007) it has been controlled by Hamas government.
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[edit] Border control and smuggling
One purpose of the Philadelphi Route was to prevent the movement of illegal materials (including weapons, ammunition and illegal drugs) and people between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Palestinians in cooperation with some Egyptians have built smuggling tunnels under the Philadelphi Route to move these into the Gaza Strip.[1]
Most of the tunnels are based in both sides of Rafah. Since the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada, the Israeli Defence Forces began operating against the tunnels. IDF vehicles, soldiers and outposts were attacked by gunfire and anti-tank rockets from the southern buildings of Rafah, resulting in the demolition of many border-line houses and the erection of a fortification system which includes a steel anti-sniper wall and armored outposts (such as "New Termit" and "Hardon").
Many operations against smuggling tunnels were conducted. Most of the operations were undertaken under heavy fire, prompting the IDF to demolish buildings which were used as firing-positions for Palestinian snipers and RPG launchers. Houses in which tunnels were discovered were also demolished. More than 90 tunnels (up to April 2004) have been discovered and destroyed by IDF forces.
In May 2004, Operation Rainbow was undertaken, in part, to destroy the smuggling tunnels and damage the terrorist infrastructure in the area.
In January 2009, Operation Cast Lead has led to IDF's destroying nearly 300 smuggling tunnels.
[edit] House demolition
Human Rights Watch has charged that the IDF used tunnels as a pretext to create a depopulated 'buffer zone' along the Gaza-Egypt border, resulting in the destruction of 1,600 homes by September 2004.[1] In a report on house demolitions in Rafah, HRW argues that the IDF should have been able to detect and neutralize tunnels at the point where they cross underneath the border using technologies proven at the Korean DMZ and U.S.-Mexico border.[2] The IDF clarified to HRW that the figure it gives of 90-100 tunnels found so far refers to tunnel entrance shafts rather than tunnels themselves. HRW described the practice of only destroying the entrance shafts as "puzzlingly ineffective ... [and] inconsistent with the supposed gravity of this longstanding threat." The IDF says that it doesn't have the capability to safely collapse the lateral portions of tunnels.
[edit] Israel's unilateral disengagement from Gaza
In September 2005, following Israel's unilateral disengagement plan, the IDF handed over control of the Philadelphi Route to the Palestinian National Authority. The European Union Border Assistance Mission Rafah was responsible for monitoring the Rafah Border Crossing to Egypt. Subsequently following Battle of Gaza (2007) due to lack of security EU monitors left and Rafah Border Crossing was closed by Egyptian authorities.
On January 12, 2009, citing anonymous Western diplomats, Reuters reported that the Israeli military is considering retaking the Philadelphi Route area in order to prevent Hamas from rearming.[3]
[edit] Border breach, 2008
On January 23, 2008, Palestinian militants destroyed several parts of the wall dividing Gaza and Egypt in the town of Rafah. Thousands of Gazans moved across the Philadelphi Route into Egypt, in search of food and supplies. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ordered his troops to allow the Palestinians in due to the crisis, but to verify that they did not bring weapons back.[4]
[edit] See also
- Israeli Defence Forces
- Al-Aqsa Intifada
- Rafah Border Crossing
- Rafah
- Smuggling tunnels
- Israel-Gaza Strip barrier
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Terror+Groups/Weapon+Smuggling+Tunnels+in+Rafah+May+2004.htm
- ^ http://hrw.org/reports/2004/rafah1004/6.htm#_Toc84676187
- ^ Entous, Adam (12 January 2009). "Israel weighs seizing Gaza border corridor-diplomats". Reuters. http://uk.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUKLC32967.
- ^ "Egypt 'won't force Gazans back'". BBC News. 23 January 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7205668.stm. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
[edit] External links
- In pictures: Searching for Gaza's tunnels
- Human Rights Watch report on house demolitions in Rafah in expanding Philadelphi buffer zone.
