BICOM

Qatar offered to build an airport for Gaza but said Israel raised security concerns.

Mohammed Al-Emadi, the diplomat in charge of Qatari projects in Gaza, told Gaza news agency SAWA that he submitted a formal proposal to Israel. Al-Emadi said: “They said it would be discussed and they procrastinated … We will renew our request…the Israeli side had security concerns and we told them we can resolve them by having the planes fly to Doha and return to Gaza from there and under Qatari security supervision.”

Al-Emadi said Israel wanted the airport built on its side of the border, but Qatar rejected the idea.

COGAT, the Israeli Government agency coordinating with Qatar on the Gaza aid efforts, declined to comment on Al-Emadi’s remarks. The Israeli Ministry for Regional Cooperation said it never received an airport proposal from Qatar.

Israel Katz, Israel’s Transport minister, has proposed that a Gaza port could be built on an artificial island off the coast of Gaza to allow imports and exports. Katz said it would provide a “humanitarian, economic and transportation gateway to the world without endangering Israel’s security.” Katz’s plan included cargo and passenger ports, a water desalination plant, electricity and gas installations, and the option of an air strip.

Al-Emadi has delivered $15 million of Qatari cash into Gaza to pay civil servants’ salaries and finance aid projects. Emadi rejected accusations by the Palestinian Authority leadership that Qatar’s support in Gaza entrenches the split between Hamas and the PA’s Fatah.

Al-Emadi said: “Gaza is under siege and collapsing financially. Should we help the residents of the Strip or not? Is increasing the number of hours of electricity and paying salaries of employees leading to the strengthening of the split as they say? What Qatar is doing is providing for a dignified life for Palestinian citizens and helping to prepare a better atmosphere for Palestinian reconciliation.”

PLO official Azzam al-Ahmad told Palestine TV: “The Palestinian leadership has told our brothers in Qatar that it is a mistake to channel funds to Hamas through Israel,” adding that “This will deepen the division among the Palestinians and give Israel an excuse to continue ignoring international resolutions.”

Al-Emadi said that he offered to send the funds via PA channels, but they refused.