Grounded in Gaza, but hoping to fly again

A murky future
Israel, however, views the situation differently. “A seaport is more important to the Palestinians and the Palestinian economy,” said Shlomo Dror, spokesman for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories at the Israeli Ministry of Defense. 

According to Dror, ongoing discussions between the two sides have centered around finding a location for new port facilities, perhaps in the northern Gaza Strip, and not around the airport.

“The airport does not contribute to the Palestinian economy,” said Dror, who argues that most Palestinians did not benefit from the airport, only diplomats and VIPs who could fly directly instead of having to travel out of the region via Egypt or Jordan.

Moreover, “we had a lot of problems in the past with the airport,” added the Israeli spokesman. 

In fact, despite all appearances, Israel was always supposed to be in charge of the facility, as stipulated by the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip from 1995. Palestinian and Israeli aviation authorities were to cooperate on flight operations as well as airport security. 

INTERACTIVE

The Israelis say the Palestinians failed to honor that agreement. “We are the ones actually responsible for everyone coming in and getting out of the West Bank and Gaza,” said Dror.  “[But the airport] was a way to bypass the Interim Agreement, that the Palestinians can take out people without our notice and without our security checks, and bring in weapons or things like that.”

But the Palestinians insist security is not the issue. “The problem with Israel is not security,” says Halib. “The problem is they want to continue to punish us. They always had control.” 

Israel vetted all flight manifests and monitored all flights into Gaza, said Lt. Sharif Nahhal of the Palestinian Presidential Guard, a special armed forces unit based at the airport.

In the arrivals hall, Ali, the airport security chief, points to a room that housed Israeli officials who could come in anytime to check arriving passengers and cargo.

But talks over re-opening the airport might be forestalled if the Israeli pull-out from Gaza is delayed a second time. Tensions have resurfaced this past week, threatening the fragile three-month ceasefire.

Palestinian militants have stepped up mortar fire and shelling directed at Jewish settlements in Gaza, prompting a missile attack from Israel on Wednesday, the first such air strike since the truce was agreed in early February.

Israeli media reports suggest if the violence persists, the Israeli government may re-visit the withdrawal timetable.

Even if Israel agrees to allow the airport to reopen, it would be at least nine months before it could be operational. In the meantime, the staff remain hopeful even as their jobs have lost a bit of their lustre over the years.

"Politics is another world," said Nahhal, who once oversaw Yasser Arafat’s protection service at the airport but is now reduced to hosting the occasional diplomatic delegation touring the facility. "It’s not my business. I just keep the [VIP lounge] clean and running."

Ali similarly prowls around the empty halls. "I feel like this is a museum walk," he says, wryly. "I am like a tourism guard. A general manager of airport museum walks."

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