Israel grants 90 permits to Gaza businessmen for 1st time since 2007
June 5, 2015 3:53 P.M. (Updated: June 5, 2015 3:53 P.M.)
http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=765782

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli authorities on Friday granted Palestinian
businessmen from the Gaza Strip permits for the first time since 2007,
officials at the Palestinian liaison said.

An official told Ma'an that Israel granted 90 "BMG" permits to Gazan
businessmen to facilitate their movement for 6 months.

Businessmen in Gaza have previously been granted "BMC" permits. A BMC permit
allows its holder to enter Israel through crossings or checkpoints used by
Israelis, for example to travel via Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.

The permits were changed however to "BMG" permits, which last for six months
rather than a couple days according to COGAT guidelines for administering
the permits.

Carriers of BMG permits enable the business persons to enter Israel as well
to travel via Allenby bridge as "VIP" travelers, however travel via Israeli
airports requires a separate approval process.

The new permits are being issued amid a reported increase in the detention
of Gazan business workers at the Erez crossing in March and February of this
year.

"The Erez crossing has become a trap for Gaza merchants who have newly
received entry permits from Israel," a Palestinian liaison official told
Ma'an after an electronics salesman was detained in March.

Israel, he added, had recently started to issue entry permits to new Gaza
traders while veteran businessmen were being denied entry.

Palestinians detained at Erez are often interrogated for several hours,
sometimes even for days, before they are either allowed into Israel en route
to the West Bank or sent back to Gaza.