GAZA PORTS ALTERNATIVES By Asaf Ashar and Gaza Seaport Group of Experts August 21, 2019 GAZA PORT ALTERNATIVES Table of Contents I Background and Objectives ........................................................................................................ 5 I.1 Past Promises and Present Stalemate ........................................................................................................5 I.2 Sources of Information and Objectives ......................................................................................................6 Meetings, Presentations, Interviews and Field Observations ............................................................................6 Study’s Objectives ..............................................................................................................................................7 Gaza Seaport Group of Experts ..........................................................................................................................8 II Alternative Port Plans ................................................................................................................ 8 II.1 Port Typology: What and Where to Build ..................................................................................................8 Functional Categorizations .................................................................................................................................8 Geographical Categorization ..............................................................................................................................9 Gaza vs. West Bank Cargo ..................................................................................................................................9 Specification of Port Plans ............................................................................................................................... 10 Ashdod Dedicated Pier (Plans 2) ..................................................................................................................... 11 Cyprus / Gaza Fishing Port (Plan 5) ................................................................................................................. 12 II.2 Assessment Criteria ................................................................................................................................. 13 Security, Political and Economic Criteria ......................................................................................................... 13 Israel Security = “Israeli Hands” ...................................................................................................................... 14 Trade-Off: Israel Security vs. Palestinian National Aspiration ......................................................................... 14 Economic Impact or “Jobs” ............................................................................................................................. 14 Political Acceptance ........................................................................................................................................ 14 III Ashdod / Kerem Shalom (Present) ............................................................................................ 15 III.1 Description .............................................................................................................................................. 15 Consolidation of Border Crossings .................................................................................................................. 15 Kerem Shalom Inspection Process .................................................................................................................. 15 Gazan Goods: Volumes, Sources and Composition ......................................................................................... 17 Customs Collection by the PA ......................................................................................................................... 17 Kerem Shalom’s Facilities and Expansion Options .......................................................................................... 17 Cost of the Present System ............................................................................................................................. 17 Port of Ashdod’s Capacity ............................................................................................................................... 18 Long-Term Need for Kerem Shalom ................................................................................................................ 18 III.2 Assessment .............................................................................................................................................. 18 Israel’s Security ................................................................................................................................................ 18 Palestinian National Aspirations ..................................................................................................................... 18 Economic Feasibility ........................................................................................................................................ 19 Economic Impact ............................................................................................................................................. 19 Political Acceptance ........................................................................................................................................ 19 IV Gaza City Port (Hamas Plan) ..................................................................................................... 19 1 IV.1 Description .............................................................................................................................................. 19 IV.2 Assessment .............................................................................................................................................. 21 Israel’s Security ................................................................................................................................................ 21 Palestinian National Aspirations ..................................................................................................................... 21 Economic Feasibility ........................................................................................................................................ 21 Economic Impact ............................................................................................................................................. 21 Political Acceptance ........................................................................................................................................ 21 V Gaza Island Port (Katz Plan) ...................................................................................................... 21 V.1 Description .............................................................................................................................................. 21 Location of the Port Island .............................................................................................................................. 21 Locating Installations on the Island or Mainland? .......................................................................................... 23 Undesirable Adjacency of Seaport, Airport, Marina, Power and Desalination Plants .................................... 24 Separating Israel from Gaza ............................................................................................................................ 25 Separating Gaza from the West Bank but Not the West Bank from Israel ..................................................... 25 Island’s Susceptibility to Hamas’ Attacks ........................................................................................................ 26 Cargo Inspection by International Inspectors vs. “Israeli Hands” ................................................................... 26 Grounding Areas for Cargoes Inspection ........................................................................................................ 27 Inspection by the Israeli Navy ......................................................................................................................... 27 Island’s Location Inside or Outside Gaza’s Territorial Waters ........................................................................ 27 Competition from nearby Major Ports ............................................................................................................ 28 Construction and Maintenance Costs ............................................................................................................. 28 Distance from Shore, Shortage of Sand and Ecological Impact ...................................................................... 29 Cost of the Island’s Major Port vs. Shore-based, Local Port ........................................................................... 30 Land Access Problems ..................................................................................................................................... 30 Israeli and Palestinian Response ..................................................................................................................... 30 V.2 Assessment 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