The overland transport of goods between Israel and Egypt, trailed as a great step forward in the process of formalization of relations between the two countries, is getting off to a very slow start.
Under arrangements completed recently, the Neot Sinai transit point was due to have started operation on Monday with goods transshipped from Israeli to Egyptian trucks in a bock-to-bock operation at the border crossing point. While ‘Israel was ready to allow Egyptian trucks and cars to circulate in Israel, like vehicles from other ports of the world shipped here by sea or air ferries, Egyptian low does not allow for movement of non-Egyptian vehicles inside Egypt.
However, the first planned shipment, of 20 tons of Israel mode paper, due to hove made the crossing Monday was postponed until today. It has now again been put off by the Egyptians, probably until next Monday. A load of Israel-grown bananas due to have been shipped today was also postponed until Monday.
While road shipments are still being held up, freight movement by air is beginning to work well. It consists mainly of botching eggs and chicks flown by both El Al and the Egyptian Nefertiti Airline.
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