BICOM

Senior officials from Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding, which will upgrade the Palestinian postal service.

Gen. Yoav Mordechai, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), and the PA Minister for Civil Affairs Hussein al-Sheikh yesterday signed the agreement. COGAT said that the agreement is “designed to gradually regulate direct transfer of mail from around the world to the Palestinian Authority through Jordan via the Allenby Bridge,” and to improve “direct mail transfer between Israel and the Palestinian Authority”.

Until now, Palestinian post was required to first pass through the Israeli postal system. The new agreement will also allow the PA to conduct direct financial interactions with other postal authorities across the world.

Yesterday’s agreement finalises a 2008 understanding which was reached with the help of the United Nation’s Universal Postal Union (UPU), but was never fully implemented.

COGAT also added: “With the signing of the memorandum of understanding, the parties will begin the process of implementing the principles fully.”

In separate news, Israel’s Regional Cooperation Ministry yesterday announced that Japan’s Foreign Minister will this week chair a meeting of Israeli, Japanese, Jordanian and PA representatives on expanding the Jericho industrial zone, which is being built with financing from the Japanese government, and paving a new road in the Jordan Valley, to facilitate the rapid and efficient transport of goods between the industrial zone and the Allenby Crossing to Jordan.

Israel’s Deputy Regional Cooperation Minister Ayoub Kara, who has been heavily involved in Israel’s regional outreach efforts, said: “The designated industrial zone will serve as an important catalyst in boosting regional trade which will lead to greater stability and continued economic growth.”