Israel to open its borders

Author: Petr Lyukimson, Israel, exclusively to VK

 The correspondent of VK reports that the government circles of Israel assess the possibility of opening roads of the country for the Turkish and Jordanian truckers and making Israeli ports main sea gate in the Middle East.

This idea came from several Israeli economists and government officials when due to the unrest in Egypt a number of major Egyptian companies decided to deliver their exports to Europe through the ports of Haifa and Ashdod. This greatly increased the profit of Israeli port workers.

Simultaneously, Jordan addressed to Israel a similar request. The fact is that prior to the Civil War with Syria, Jordan supplied its products to the country through the track Jordan-Syria-Turkey, and from Turkey the goods came to Europe. Now this transit route is paralyzed, and Jordan asks Israel to give it the ability to send and receive its goods through ports. According to rough estimates, it is about 70,000 trucks per year, which could bring the Israeli economy tens of millions of dollars of additional revenue, the creation of jobs, etc.

But the biggest concern of Israel, as it turned out, is again linked with Turkey. The Turks, who are the main supplier of goods to Jordan, do not hide their interest to build a transit line through which Turkish goods will be delivered by ferry to Israel, and from Israel the Turkish drivers will take them to Jordan. This means that millions of shekels will flow to Israeli coffers.

Of course, the discussion of these issues was held behind closed doors, but as it became known, the the views divided. Some ministers recalled the last anti-Israel statements by Turkish leaders and expressed doubt that it is worth venturing any new deal with Turkey. However, supporters of opening a new transit line Turkey-Israel-Jordan called on their opponents "to trust not slogans but real policy".

Serious objections to opening Israeli roads for Turkish and Jordanian drivers were expressed by the Israeli intelligence. They fear that terrorist organizations can infiltrate the ranks of the drivers - both for espionage and for carrying out terrorist attacks. In the course of these meetings the question of reconciliation with Turkey was again discussed. We know one thing about the results of the discussion: Israel is ready to pay compensation to the families of all the victims of the incident on the "Mavi Marmara", and, perhaps even more than those required by Turkey, but all is limited by the formula of apology, and, of course, the requirements for removing the blockade of Gaza are unacceptable for Israel (and for the Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas).