Dahlan: `“Rubble of settlers’ homes will not remain in P.A areas`

Mohammad Dahlan, Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs, said that the P.A and Israel agreed to remove the rubble of the settlers’ homes in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, after it demolishes the settlements.

“The rubble will not remain in our areas,” Dahlan said, “They will remove it after leveling the homes”.  

The statements of Dahlan were made at a press conference in his office following a meeting between him and the Israeli Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz, in Tel Aviv.

Dahlan added that he and Mofaz agreed to form joint committees to manage the crossings between the Palestinian territories and Israel following the Gaza withdrawal.

Israeli radio reported that the two officials also agreed on a number of issues to ease the daily life of the Palestinian residents, such as easing restrictions of movement at checkpoints and crossings between the Palestinian territories and Israel.

“Israel agreed to implement the door-to-door system at the Karni crossing in the Gaza Strip, after it always implemented the back-to-back system,” Dahlan added.

The back-to-back system meant that the goods exported from the Gaza Strip were carried by Palestinian camions and then moved to Israeli camions at the checkpoints or crossings under very strict security procedures.

The back-to-back system was used as part of the Israeli policies of closure and siege over the Palestinian territories, which negatively affected the Palestinian economy.

“Canceling the old system will encourage Arab and foreign investors, which will in turn advance the Palestinian economy,” Dahlan stated.

Dahlan and Mofaz also agreed on forming joint committees to implement the new system at the Eretz Crossing.