Israel reopens key crossing to Palestinian workers amid Gaza violence

Israel reopened the Erez border crossing, authorities said on Thursday, allowing Palestinian workers to leave the blockaded Gaza Strip after almost two weeks of closure.

The crossing, the only exit for Palestinians from Gaza into Israel, was initially closed for the Jewish New Year on September 15.

The closure was then extended amid Palestinian protests on the border in a move criticised as “collective punishment.”

The Palestinian civilian affairs ministry confirmed the crossing had reopened on Thursday morning, while Israel's COGAT, the Israeli defence body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, confirmed the move on Wednesday night.

About 18,500 Gazans work in Israel, according to COGAT, with jobs in high demand among Palestinians in the blockaded enclave, where wages are low and unemployment rates hover at about 50 per cent.

While Palestinians seeking medical treatment in Israel were technically allowed to use the crossing, many people in need of life-saving care are often denied permits or receive permission from authorities too late.

Journalists at the crossing saw thousands of Palestinian workers waiting to enter Israel on Thursday.

It comes amid continuing protests on the border between Gaza and Israel, where Israeli forces have killed several people and wounded dozens of demonstrators protesting continuing Israeli aggression in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli forces fire teargas towards Palestinian protesters during clashes near the Israel-Gaza border fence on Friday. AFP
According to the Palestinian ministry of health, at least 28 Palestinian protesters were wounded during the clashes near the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip. EPA
Palestinian protesters run to escape teargas during clashes with Israeli security forces along the frontier with Israel, east of Gaza City on Friday. AP Photo
Israeli crews extinguish fires started by incendiary balloons launched from the Gaza Strip. Palestinians in recent days staged protests near the border fence between Israel and Gaza. AP Photo
Palestinian protesters detonate a bomb at the border wall during clashes on the eastern border of the Gaza Strip on Friday. EPA
Protesters take cover after Israeli strikes on Friday. Israel says three Hamas sites in Gaza were targeted in response to border riots. EPA
A Palestinian protester throws stones at Israeli troops during clashes on Friday. EPA
Palestinians carry a protester wounded during clashes with Israeli forces on Friday. EPA

Seven Palestinians have been killed and more than 100 wounded in the violence in Gaza since September 13, as reported by the Hamas-controlled health ministry.

Protesters have burnt tyres and sent incendiary balloons across the border as Israeli forces fire tear gas and live ammunition.

The army killed six Palestinians across the West Bank and Gaza last Tuesday amid raids on Jenin refugee camp and protests on the Gaza border.

It also struck three Hamas sites in the strip the week before.

Israel has imposed an air, land and sea blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized the Palestinian territory in 2007.

Violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank can also lead to conflict in Gaza, where Israel has launched air strikes following rocket fire from Hamas.

More than 30 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza in May, following the death of one Israeli by Hamas rocket fire.

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.

While you're here

Mustafa Alrawi: To get the 'jab' done, there must be patience and empathy

Damien McElroy: Anti-science attitudes in America are proving lethal

Editorial: What makes the UAE such a good place to test vaccines?

Editorial: The fight against Covid-19 should be guided by science

Top 10 most polluted cities

Bhiwadi, India
Ghaziabad, India
Hotan, China
Delhi, India
Jaunpur, India
Faisalabad, Pakistan
Noida, India
Bahawalpur, Pakistan
Peshawar, Pakistan
Bagpat, India

FFP EXPLAINED

What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.

What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.

What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.

Miguel Cotto world titles:

WBO Light Welterweight champion - 2004-06
WBA Welterweight champion – 2006-08
WBO Welterweight champion – Feb 2009-Nov 2009
WBA Light Middleweight champion – 2010-12
WBC Middleweight champion – 2014-15
WBO Light Middleweight champion – Aug 2017-Dec 2017

Five famous companies founded by teens

There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:

Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.

The biog

Name: Sari Al Zubaidi

Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati

Age: 42

Marital status: single

Favourite drink: drip coffee V60

Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia

Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude

Women & Power: A Manifesto

Mary Beard

Profile Books and London Review of Books

VERSTAPPEN'S FIRSTS

Youngest F1 driver (17 years 3 days Japan 2014)
Youngest driver to start an F1 race (17 years 166 days – Australia 2015)
Youngest F1 driver to score points (17 years 180 days - Malaysia 2015)
Youngest driver to lead an F1 race (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest driver to set an F1 fastest lap (19 years 44 days – Brazil 2016)
Youngest on F1 podium finish (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest F1 winner (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest multiple F1 race winner (Mexico 2017/18)
Youngest F1 driver to win the same race (Mexico 2017/18)