Six Nautical Miles Not Enough For Gaza Fishermen
Israel's announcement to re-extend Gaza's fishing zone from three to six nautical miles comes at the end of the lucrative sardine season and does not promise relief for fishermen.
Too little, too late. This is what Gaza’s fishermen thought of Israel's decision to re-extend the fishing zone to 6 nautical miles after more than two months of tight restrictions.
Israel announced the extension on Tuesday [May 21] in a statement issued by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
“The designated fishing zone was limited due to rocket fire from the Gaza Strip toward southern Israel on March 21, 2013. The coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Colonel Eitan Dangot, has informed senior Palestinian, international and Egyptian officials about the decision,” the statement read.
Taher al-Nono, spokesman for the Hamas government in Gaza, doubted the Israeli narrative of Palestinian rockets being fired into Israel at that time, adding that Israel loosening its restrictions was the result of Egyptian pressure. “Israel always means to give Palestinians less than what they should have. We were asking for 12 nautical miles to be granted for the fishermen, but were given only six,” Nono told Al-Monitor.
