official closure announcement

July 13th, 2005
WWW.IDF.IL <http://www.idf.il/>
IDF SPOKESPERSON ANNOUNCEMENT
Following the publication of Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon's order
(http://tinyurl.com/cdsv8) today (Wednesday),
13.7.05, on restricting entry
into the Gaza Strip, GOC Southern Command
Maj.-Gen. Dan Harel has declared a
full entry restriction order into the Gaza Strip.
The restriction on entry
does not apply to residents of the area, as per
the list valid as of
17.3.05. Additionally, the order does not apply
to security forces
personnel, firefighters, Magen David Adom
personnel and others whose entry
is permitted by the authorities.
Additionally, Maj.-Gen. Harel declared an order
restricting movement in the
area adjacent to the Gaza Strip, an area
delineated between the security
fence surrounding the Gaza Strip, Route #232,
Route #34 Route #3411. In
this area, disruption and limitation of travel
and movement are expected,
due to the necessity of the IDF and the Israel
Police to delay and prevent
radical elements from reaching the Gaza Strip
area.
The Restricted Entry Order was issued in order to
prevent attempts by
various elements to disrupt and thwart the
evacuation of communities in Gaza
within the framework of the Disengagement Plan
(http://tinyurl.com/43l87).
The issuing of the order, in coordination with
the Israel Police, was timed
as such in light of the uncontrolled entry of
extremist elements into the
area and in light of efforts to organize a
large-scale march into Gaza.
Following the declaration of the restriction of
entry into the Gaza Strip,
the IDF will operate a special Permit Office to
allow Israelis living in the
Gaza Strip to file requests for entry into the
Gaza Strip for a predefined
period of time, for their guests, relatives and
any additional persons whom
they wish to bring into the area. In addition,
the Permit Office will issue
permanent certificates to residents of the area
and temporary permits for
any additional persons who wish to enter the Gaza
Strip, and whose entry is
allowed by the Permit Office.
The Permit Office, which will be managed by the
Homefront Command, will
operate according to the responsibilities
delegated to it by Maj.-Gen.
Harel, and in keeping with Southern Command
policy as determined by periodic
security assessments. The Permit Office will
operate 24 hours a day; its
phone numbers will be published shortly.
In addition to the opening of the Permit Office,
the Homefront Command will
operate a National Information Office to provide
responses and instructions
via telephone or the internet, to every civilian
who is interested in
clarifying matters related to the restriction of
entry into the Gaza Strip,
the procedure for issuing permits and the
regulations of the restriction
policy as they are periodically determined by
Maj.-Gen. Harel. The
Information Office will operate 24 hours a day,
seven days a week; its
telephone number will be published shortly.
The IDF, in cooperation with the Israel Police,
will take all measures
necessary to minimize the disruption of the daily
lives of the Israeli
residents of the Gaza Strip. In addition to the
opening of the Permit
Office and the Information Office, the IDF and
Israel Police have reinforced
the personnel at the crossings into the Gaza
Strip in order to aid the
residents of the area and to minimize the
possibility of complications that
may arise regarding the entry of the residents or
their relatives and guests
into the Gaza Strip.
The IDF and Israel Police remain in close contact
with the leaders of the
Israeli communities in the Gaza Strip and are
updating them regularly on
developments.
The IDF will continue to periodically reassess
and re-evaluate the necessity
for restricted entry.