Yasser Arafat International Airport
Yasser Arafat International Airport مطار ياسر عرفات الدولي | |||||||||||
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![]() The airport in 2005 | |||||||||||
Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Defunct | ||||||||||
Operator | Palestinian Civil Aviation Authority | ||||||||||
Location | Gaza Strip | ||||||||||
Opened | 24 November 1998 | ||||||||||
Closed | 2001 | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 98 m / 320 ft | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 31°14′47″N 34°16′34″E / 31.24639°N 34.27611°E | ||||||||||
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Runways | |||||||||||
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Yasser Arafat International Airport (Arabic: مطار ياسر عرفات الدولي Maṭār Yāsir 'Arafāt ad-Dawli) (IATA: GZA, ICAO: LVGZ)[1][2] was an airport in the Gaza Strip. It was located between Rafah and Dahaniya, close to the Egyptian border. The facility was built as a result of the Oslo Accords and opened on 24 November 1998 as Gaza International Airport. It served as the base of Palestinian Airlines. The airport ceased operations in 2001 during the Second Intifada. It was renamed in honour of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat following his death in 2004. The Gaza airport was progressively destroyed by Israel during the intifada and later conflicts and by looting.
History
In the Oslo Accords, Israel and the Palestinians agreed to build airports in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. However, the agreements did not contain specifics, such as when the airports would be constructed or how large they would be. The Palestinians began work on a large airport in southern Gaza, which contrasted with the Israelis' expectation of a small facility suited for local flights.[3] It was built with funding from Egypt, Spain, and Germany and was designed by Moroccan architects.[4][5] The total cost was US$61 million.[5] An impasse in the peace negotiations delayed the airport's opening by over a year. In the Wye River Memorandum, Israel permitted operations to begin. The airport was named Gaza International Airport and opened on 24 November 1998; Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat presided over the inauguration ceremony.[6] Palestinian Airlines relocated to Gaza from El Arish, Egypt, and operated the first commercial flight to Amman on 5 December.[7] On 14 December, US president Bill Clinton landed at the airport and took part in a ribbon cutting.[8] At the time, the opening of the airport was described as evidence of progress toward Palestinian statehood and of collaboration between Israelis and Palestinians.[9][10]
The airport was operated by the Palestinian Civil Aviation Authority.[5] Passengers underwent security screening by Israeli soldiers at the Rafah crossing; then they took a bus to the terminal to catch their flight.[10] Work commenced on another terminal called the south wing in 2000. Japan funded the project. The Israelis and Palestinians planned to manage security jointly in the terminal so that travellers would not need to go to the Rafah crossing.[11]
In 1999, the airport received 90,000 passengers and more than 100 tons of cargo. As of May 2000, Palestinian Airlines linked Gaza to six cities in the region, such as Dubai and Larnaca. In addition, a handful of foreign carriers, including Royal Air Maroc and Egyptair, served the airport.[12]
Second Intifada
The Second Intifada broke out in September 2000, and the airport saw its last flight depart in 2001.[13] The Israeli military bombed the radar station and bulldozed the runway in December 2001. It broke up the runway again the following month.[14] Israel feared that the Palestinians would use the airport to smuggle in weapons and militants.[4] In March 2002, the International Civil Aviation Organization rebuked Israel for the attack on the airport.[15]
By 2005, the facility had been renamed after Arafat, who died the year prior. Airport personnel still staffed the ticket counters and baggage areas, hoping to deter looting and further Israeli attacks.[16][10] Construction of the south wing continued slowly.[11] In November 2005, after the Sharm El Sheikh Summit and Israel's unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Israel and the Palestinian Authority signed the Agreement on Movement and Access, in which they agreed to discuss reopening the airport.[17]
Hamas rule in Gaza Strip
The pact became moot once the political organisation Hamas gained power in the Gaza Strip. In 2006, it won the Palestinian legislative election and kidnapped an Israeli soldier.[18] The abduction sparked a conflict during which Israel bombed the airport.[13] Buildings like the south wing, which was nearing completion, were damaged.[11] Hamas took over the Gaza Strip the following year, and the Israelis continued to shell the airport during wars with the group.[19]
During the 2006 conflict, Palestinian officials stopped protecting the airport.[11] People stole equipment from the site.[19] They also chipped away the runway and terminal to obtain rubble; the Israeli blockade of Gaza had resulted in a shortage of building materials.[13]
Infrastructure
The total area of the airport was 450 hectares (1,100 acres).[20] The passenger terminal was able to handle 700,000 passengers per year and was decorated with stone mosaics and Islamic paintings.[20][21] There was also a VIP lounge, which had a golden dome modeled after the Dome of the Rock and a suite for Arafat.[20] The asphalt runway was designated 01/19 and measured 3,076 by 45 metres (10,092 ft × 148 ft).[1]
Gallery
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Damaged building, May 2002
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Ruins of Yasser Arafat International Airport
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2008 satellite photo of the runway
References
- General
- Watson, Geoffrey R. (2000). The Oslo Accords: International Law and the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Agreements. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198298915.001.0001.
- "Final Progress Report: Construction of Gaza International Airport and Technical Assistance and Equipment" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
- "West Bank and Gaza: Transport Sector Strategy Note". World Bank. 30 October 2007. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
- Specific
- ^ a b "Technical information". Gaza International Airport. Archived from the original on 16 January 2001. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ "Flights Operate to/from GIA". Gaza International Airport. Archived from the original on 6 February 2001. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
- ^ Watson 2000, pp. 148–150.
- ^ a b Mong, Adrienne (19 May 2005). "Grounded in Gaza, but hoping to fly again". NBC News. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ a b c World Bank 2007, pp. 88–92.
- ^ Sontag, Deborah (24 November 1998). "Palestinians Walking on Air At Opening of Gaza Airport". The New York Times. ProQuest 109855451.
- ^ Greenberg, Joel (7 December 1998). "A Plane and Patriotism Take Flight in Gaza". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 24 April 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ Fidler, Stephen (15 December 1998). "Clinton flies in to Gaza and makes Arafat's day". Financial Times. ProQuest 248666784.
- ^ "Palestinians cheer airport as first step to statehood". Calgary Herald. Associated Press. 25 November 1998. p. A15.
- ^ a b c King, Laura (31 May 2005). "Symbol of Freedom Waits for Takeoff". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 422114618.
- ^ a b c d UNDP 2012, pp. 1–4.
- ^ Luxner, Larry (9 May 2000). "Palestinians plan cargo terminal at Gaza airport". Journal of Commerce. ProQuest 313487540.
- ^ a b c "Scavengers collect rubble of Gaza's bombed airport". Associated Press. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ "Israeli Army Bulldozes Gaza Airport Runway". The New York Times. 11 January 2002. ProQuest 2231377539.
- ^ "ICAO Council adopts resolution strongly condemning the destruction of Gaza International Airport" (PDF). ICAO. 13 March 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2014.
- ^ Johnston, Alan (15 April 2005). "Years of delays at Gaza airport". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 March 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ World Bank 2007, pp. 24–26.
- ^ Rudoren, Jodi (12 August 2014). "Dream of a Gaza Seaport Is Revived in Truce Talks". The New York Times. ProQuest 1552538079.
- ^ a b "20 years after its opening, destroyed Gaza airport embodies grounded peace hopes". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ a b c Trounson, Rebecca (19 November 1998). "Palestinians Gear Up for Opening of Gaza Airport". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 421330007.
- ^ "Israelis anxious over Gaza airport". Airline Business. 31 December 1998. Archived from the original on 17 October 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
External links
Media related to Yasser Arafat International Airport at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website at the Wayback Machine (archived 18 October 2000)