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| By: Associated Press |
| Published: January 19, 2006 |
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Israel has begun the privatization of its border crossings with the West Bank and Gaza Strip, replacing soldiers with private security guards in an attempt to ease the crossing process for Palestinians, Defense Ministry spokeswoman Rachel Niedak-Ashkenazi said Wednesday.
On Thursday the Erez Crossing in northern Gaza, the main passage for the thousands of Palestinian laborers into Israel, will be turned over to "White Snow," a private company recently awarded the Defense Ministry contract.
The Shaar Ephraim crossing in the northern West Bank was given to a different company this week, and later, the Tarkumia crossing in the southern part of the territory will be transferred, according to a ministry statement.
"We think that soldiers should not be there and working with Palestinian civilians," Niedak-Ashkenazi said. "It is an important move that will help deal with humanitarian issues."
A Defense Ministry statement said the Karni crossing, the main transfer point for cargo in and out of Gaza, will also be privatized. The crossing has been closed for several days because of a security alert - Palestinian police in coordination with Israeli intelligence are looking for a tunnel said to have been dug by Palestinian militants to attack the crossing, target of many strikes by militants in the past.
The ministry said the privatization and removal of soldiers from the crossings "will contribute to the recovery of the Palestinian economy, which is not only a Palestinian interest but also American and Israeli."
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