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Even a Stationery Logo Pits Palestinians Against Israel Even a Stationery Logo Pits Palestinians Against Israel
(7 months later)
JERUSALEM — The latest skirmish between Israel and the Palestinian Authority does not concern settlements or refugees, but stationery. JERUSALEM — The latest skirmish between Israel and the Palestinian Authority does not concern settlements or refugees, but stationery.
Israel rejected the applications of dozens of medical patients in the Gaza Strip seeking to travel for treatment in Israel or the West Bank this week because the paper they were printed on bore the logo “State of Palestine” rather than “Palestinian Authority.”Israel rejected the applications of dozens of medical patients in the Gaza Strip seeking to travel for treatment in Israel or the West Bank this week because the paper they were printed on bore the logo “State of Palestine” rather than “Palestinian Authority.”
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, ordered that the state logo be used on all official correspondence shortly after he won the status of nonmember observer state for Palestine at the United Nations on Nov. 29, 2012, over vehement Israeli objections. But Guy Inbar, a spokesman for the Israeli agency that coordinates movement and other activities with the Palestinian Authority, said that it had always refused to accept such documents, and that the Palestinians had generally complied and used the old letterhead.Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, ordered that the state logo be used on all official correspondence shortly after he won the status of nonmember observer state for Palestine at the United Nations on Nov. 29, 2012, over vehement Israeli objections. But Guy Inbar, a spokesman for the Israeli agency that coordinates movement and other activities with the Palestinian Authority, said that it had always refused to accept such documents, and that the Palestinians had generally complied and used the old letterhead.
Now, even as Secretary of State John Kerry is nearing the final stages of brokering a framework for continuing fragile peace talks that started last summer, each side is accusing the other of turning a piece of paper into a political provocation.Now, even as Secretary of State John Kerry is nearing the final stages of brokering a framework for continuing fragile peace talks that started last summer, each side is accusing the other of turning a piece of paper into a political provocation.
“We know that they have two kinds of documents,” Mr. Inbar said. “Sometimes they send us, by mistake or in order to challenge us, the State of Palestine signature.”“We know that they have two kinds of documents,” Mr. Inbar said. “Sometimes they send us, by mistake or in order to challenge us, the State of Palestine signature.”
Omar al-Nasser, a spokesman for the Palestinian Health Ministry, countered, “This is pressure for political reasons.”Omar al-Nasser, a spokesman for the Palestinian Health Ministry, countered, “This is pressure for political reasons.”
Caught in the middle was a 13-year-old boy, Salah Abu Assi, who has been traveling to Jerusalem for chemotherapy at Hadassah Medical Center as often as four times a month for three years. Salah’s father, Hammad Abu Assi, a pharmacist in Gaza City, said that the boy has a tumor behind his eye. A Palestinian Authority liaison informed family members on Tuesday night that they would not be allowed to leave Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Erez crossing to make their Wednesday appointment, Mr. Abu Assi said.Caught in the middle was a 13-year-old boy, Salah Abu Assi, who has been traveling to Jerusalem for chemotherapy at Hadassah Medical Center as often as four times a month for three years. Salah’s father, Hammad Abu Assi, a pharmacist in Gaza City, said that the boy has a tumor behind his eye. A Palestinian Authority liaison informed family members on Tuesday night that they would not be allowed to leave Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Erez crossing to make their Wednesday appointment, Mr. Abu Assi said.
“We did not sleep last night after we learned about the problem,” he said in a telephone interview on Wednesday. “We are afraid that the progress he has made in recent months will backfire and his condition deteriorate.”“We did not sleep last night after we learned about the problem,” he said in a telephone interview on Wednesday. “We are afraid that the progress he has made in recent months will backfire and his condition deteriorate.”
Sari Bashi, the executive director of Gisha, an Israeli group that advocates access to Gaza, said an average of 1,038 medical patients crossed through Erez each month in the second half of 2013, a 32 percent increase since Egypt’s new military-backed government clamped down on Gaza’s southern crossing, Rafah. Ms. Bashi questioned the consistency of Israel’s policy, saying that a medical report her group submitted recently was approved despite bearing the state logo. She called the situation “very problematic.”Sari Bashi, the executive director of Gisha, an Israeli group that advocates access to Gaza, said an average of 1,038 medical patients crossed through Erez each month in the second half of 2013, a 32 percent increase since Egypt’s new military-backed government clamped down on Gaza’s southern crossing, Rafah. Ms. Bashi questioned the consistency of Israel’s policy, saying that a medical report her group submitted recently was approved despite bearing the state logo. She called the situation “very problematic.”
“Refusals or even delays over an irrelevant issue like the logo on a medical report can cost lives,” Ms. Bashi said.“Refusals or even delays over an irrelevant issue like the logo on a medical report can cost lives,” Ms. Bashi said.
But Mr. Inbar said urgent cases were processed quickly. After his agency returned about 70 applications submitted Sunday on the new “state” stationery, he said, the Palestinians refiled about two dozen of them on the old “authority” letterhead, and all of those were approved.But Mr. Inbar said urgent cases were processed quickly. After his agency returned about 70 applications submitted Sunday on the new “state” stationery, he said, the Palestinians refiled about two dozen of them on the old “authority” letterhead, and all of those were approved.
“In very short time we examined those applications,” Mr. Inbar said. “The other cases we are still waiting for them to send us the application as it used to be, and as our policy says.”“In very short time we examined those applications,” Mr. Inbar said. “The other cases we are still waiting for them to send us the application as it used to be, and as our policy says.”