http://news.linktv.org Link TV News Videos (Filtered by topics: UNRWA) en-us Fri, 05 Apr 2013 07:35:00 -0700 Copyright 2011 Link Media, Inc. http://news.linktv.org/videos/un-cuts-gaza-aid-after-protestors-storm-hq?start=0 The people of Gaza are facing yet more hardship after the United Nations' chief humanitarian agency suspended operations in response to protestors angered by aid cutbacks storming its headquarters. Around two-thirds of Gaza's population depends on aid from the UN's Relief and Works Agency. Fri, 05 Apr 2013 07:35:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/un-cuts-gaza-aid-after-protestors-storm-hq Gaza, UNRWA, Palestinians, United Nations, Humanitarian aid, Gaza blockade, Economy of Gaza, Euronews The people of Gaza are facing yet more hardship after the United Nations' chief humanitarian agency suspended operations in response to protestors angered by aid cutbacks storming its headquarters. Around two-thirds of Gaza's population depends on aid from the UN's Relief and Works Agency. http://news.linktv.org/videos/gaza-marathon-canceled-over-hamas-ban-on-women-runners?start=0 The United Nations Relief & Works Agency in Palestine has scrapped plans for a marathon due to be run in the Gaza Strip after ruling faction Hamas declared women were not allowed to participate. Proceeds from the annual race would have been allocated to fund programs for children's recreation, and the event itself was intended to help shed light on the dire conditions in the Strip. However, Gaza's government declared that having women runners take part would violate the norms and culture of Palestinian society. This caused the UNRWA to cancel the marathon altogether, saying the United Nations is committed to upholding the values of equality. Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:50:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/gaza-marathon-canceled-over-hamas-ban-on-women-runners UNRWA, Hamas, Dress code, Gaza, Marathon, Palestinians, Palestine, United Nations, Mosaic: World News from the Middle East, New TV The United Nations Relief & Works Agency in Palestine has scrapped plans for a marathon due to be run in the Gaza Strip after ruling faction Hamas declared women were not allowed to participate. Proceeds from the annual race would have been allocated to fund programs for children's recreation, and the event itself was intended to help shed light on the dire conditions in the Strip. However, Gaza's government declared that having women runners take part would violate the norms and culture of Palestinian society. This caused the UNRWA to cancel the marathon altogether, saying the United Nations is committed to upholding the values of equality. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-112812?start=1204 <p>Twin car bombings kill scores in Damascus as rebels down a warplane in Aleppo, the Obama administration seeks to codify its kill list with a drone rule book, many Afghan regions remain at the mercy of warlords, and more.</p> Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-112812 United Nations, Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinians, Jaramana, Drone, Foreign relations of Saudi Arabia, Takhar Province, Human rights in Jordan, National Center for Human Rights (Jordan), Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt IBA reports that underscoring the European Union's commitment to Palestinian statehood, member states today pledged 11.5 million euros to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. EU Representative John Gatt-Rutter said that they had intense discussions with the Palestinian leadership to explore the timing and methods with which the Palestinians would approach the United Nations, and added that whatever the Palestinians decide, the EU will continue with its support to them. http://news.linktv.org/videos/twice-displaced-syrias-palestinian-refugees-flee-to-lebanon?start=0 A half million Palestinian refugees are registered in Syria. Most have remained there but, with the escalation of fighting in and around their camps last month, hundreds of Palestinian families began seeking safer havens in neighboring Lebanon. Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:47:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/twice-displaced-syrias-palestinian-refugees-flee-to-lebanon Syrian Civil War, Palestinian Refugees, Refugees of the Syrian civil war, Syria, Lebanon, Lebanon–Syria relations, UNRWA, Beirut, Palestinians, Voice of America A half million Palestinian refugees are registered in Syria . Most have remained there but, with the escalation of fighting in and around their camps last month, hundreds of Palestinian families began seeking safer havens in neighboring Lebanon. As VOA's Margaret Besheer reports from Beirut, these Palestinians have now been twice displaced. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-061412?start=445 Thursday marked the anniversary of Hamas' control of the Gaza Strip following a conflict with Fatah that shaped the beginning of the Palestinian political division, and paved the way for an economic blockade by Israel on Gaza's crossings, reports BBC Arabic. Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-061412 Israel, Gaza blockade, Gaza, Gaza–Israel conflict, Palestinians, Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt, Syrian Civil War, Governance of the Gaza Strip, Nuclear program of Iran, Muammar Gaddafi Presenter, Female #1 Today marks the 5th anniversary of Hamas' control of the Gaza Strip following an internal battle with its opponent Fatah that lasted many months and shaped the beginning of the Palestinian political division. Attempts to remedy this division continue today. It also paved the way for an economic blockade by Israel on Gaza's crossings, the price of which is being paid by Gaza's residents. Shohdi al-Kashif reports. Reporter, Male #1 Around this time five years ago, Hamas settled its security and political differences with its opponent Fatah with the use of weapons. Since then, Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip with its own security services and sovereign institutions. To some, it seemed not only a political, but a geographic split from the Palestinian Authority, under the leadership of Mahmoud Abbas. Reporter, Male #1 In this ceremony, a new class of police officers graduated from the police academy established by Hamas. According to its security doctrine, it holds a different mission from the one pursued by the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, which is based on the principle of security cooperation with Israel; a doctrine many fear would establish an unchangeable reality, even if reconciliation with Fatah occurs. Guest, Male #2 (Fathi Hamad, Hamas Government Interior Minister) No reconciliation with secularism; no reconciliation with any ideology except for Islam. This is the chance for you to come and learn in our academy how to protect our front line, and how to become God's soldiers, not soldiers for America, or the Zionists, or the hypocrites. Reporter, Male #1 Gaza's streets seem calm after five years of Hamas' rule. There are no armed clashes with its opponents on its streets, and no military confrontations with Israel on its border. The security contributed, even if slightly, to the creation of investment opportunities while living under siege. Guest Male #3 (Taher Nunu, Hamas Spokesman in Gaza) Hamas founded a system in the Gaza Strip, and established the rule of law, and restored the Palestinian security services' authority. This of course required the formation of different security services with a different security doctrine, founded on belonging to this nation and the exclusion of security cooperation. Guest Male #4 (Talal Okal, Palestinian Affairs Analyst and Writer) Has the dignity of the Palestinian citizen been attained? Here, partial accomplishments and partial failures are not counted, as long as there is major failure, called "division," that operates in Israel's interest. Reporter, Male #1 Hamas' attempts to end the legitimacy of smuggling goods and fuel, collecting taxes, and encouraging local investments in the fields of agriculture and construction, did not ease the pressure of the siege, which is eroding Gaza's body and its poor, according to international organizations. Guest, Male #5 (Adnan Abu Hassan, UNRWA Spokesman) Before the siege, we used to provide rations to around 150 thousand people. Today, we provide rations to 750 thousand Palestinian refugees. We used to look for people to give aid to; now, people stand in lines in front of ration centers. If these conditions continue, the situation will worsen for the people in Gaza and its neighbors. Reporter, Male #1 Hamas in Gaza has a government, security services, authorities, syndicates, municipalities, and over 300 thousand employees. It faces difficult questions as it searches for their answers in light of a future political agreement with Fatah if reconciliation were to happen. Shohdi al-Kashif, BBC, the Gaza Strip. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-051512?start=219 Palestinians held massive marches throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip on the 64th anniversary of Nakba Day, while an Israeli official report warned that this year's anniversary could be the beginning of a popular intifada, Al-Alam reports. Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-051512 Palestinians, Nuclear program of Iran, Gaza, Iran, Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Yemeni al-Qaeda crackdown, Nakba, Palestinian prisoners in Israel, Middle East Peace Process, Syrian Civil War Reporter, Female #1 Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip commemorated the 64th anniversary of Nakba Day with massive marches. In Ramallah, demonstrators condemned the Israeli occupation's ongoing systematic displacement of Palestinians, and stressed the refugees' right of return to their country, affirming that they would never give up this right. In the Gaza Strip, protestors stressed the importance of the Palestinian people's unity and commitment to their national unequivocal rights. They reiterated that the Palestinian people's rights can only be retrieved by force and through resistance, especially since the negotiations have failed and reached a dead end. Reporter, Female #1 As part of the ongoing events in occupied Palestine to mark the anniversary of Nakba Day, Palestinian youth in occupied Jerusalem burned flags of the Israeli entity and challenged the occupation forces, which attempted to arrest them and prevent them from commemorating Nakba by force. Coinciding with Nakba Day, an Israeli official report warned that this year's anniversary could be the beginning of an overwhelming popular intifada, whether through a decision by the Palestinian leadership, or in the framework of the recent popular protests, influenced by the wave of revolutions witnessed in the Arab world. Reporter, Female #1 So 64 years have passed since the Palestinian Nakba, or catastrophe, which displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled to neighboring Arab countries, bringing their number now to five million refugees, most of them living in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The total number of Palestinian refugees in the world is 11 million. Reporter, Female #2 Sixty-four years have passed since the Palestinian Nakba Day, and the Palestinians' slogan has never changed: "One day we shall return to Haifa, Jaffa and Acre, even if we have to travel far." It is the hope to return that every Palestinian holds on to. This year's anniversary, as previous years, surrounds the Israeli occupation with events and marches in and outside the Palestinian territories. The events extended to various countries around the world, reaffirming the Palestinian people's unequivocal rights to return, liberate their land, and determine their own fate. Reporter, Female #2 With a variety of events, the Palestinian people commemorate this anniversary before the eyes of the occupation, which is mobilizing its forces along the borders with neighboring countries, in anticipation of a repeat of last year's incidents. The Palestinian refugees have never given up the right of return since the Nakba, the day when the occupation invaded their land on May 15, 1948. 760,000 Palestinians were forced to live in exile, far from their country, their land, and their houses, carrying the keys to their homes, their flags, and maps of their occupied Palestinian towns. Reporter, Female #2 They have been retaining these items since the day they were banished, hanging onto their identity and their right of return. They challenge the occupiers, who are celebrating the myth of their Independence Day, built on the ruins of over 90 percent of Palestinians' land. The occupation annexed 774 villages and cities, destroyed more than 530 others, and committed over 70 massacres, martyring around 15,000 Palestinians. Palestinian government figures reported that the number of Palestinians in 1948 was 1,037,000, and their population around the world by the end of 2011 was estimated at over 11 million. Internally displaced refugees account for 44 percent of the entire Palestinian population living in the country. Reporter, Female #2 The number of refugees registered last year at the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, UNRWA, reached five million, counting for more than 45 percent of the entire Palestinian population in the world. Fifty-nine percent of them live in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, 17 percent in the West Bank, and around 24 percent in the Gaza Strip. Approximately 29 percent of Palestinian refugees live in 58 refugee camps, 10 of which are in Jordan, nine in Syria, 12 in Lebanon, 19 in the West Bank, and eight in the Gaza Strip. All that is the outcome of Nakba, which Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims are commemorating today. Reporter, Female #2 The pain of the memory has been deteriorating for over six decades, while the Palestinian people suffer from displacement, killing, and arrests amid the international community's silence towards the occupation's crimes. But the people are the proof of this resistance and embody the right of return. They're determined to return, despite the continuous aggression, because they believe that the night must become dawn and the chain must break. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-042512?start=36 Two UN agencies confirmed that 67 Palestinians in the West Bank near Jerusalem were forcibly displaced in one week, violating international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, Al Jazeera reports. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-042512 Israel, Nuclear program of Iran, Human rights in Bahrain, Benjamin Netanyahu, Iran-Israel relations, Bahrain, Bahrain Uprising, United Nations, Israeli-occupied territories, Palestinian prisoners in Israel Presenter, Male #1 The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Palestinian territories, confirmed that 67 Palestinians in the West Bank were forcibly displaced in one week, violating international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention. Presenter, Female #1 In the neighborhood of al-Khalayleh, north of occupied Jerusalem, seven families were displaced after their homes and civilian structures they own were demolished. One week earlier, settlers protected by the occupation forces seized two homes in the neighborhood of Beit Hanina in eastern Jerusalem, in anticipation of establishing a settlement. Reporter, Female #2 For the third time in six months, this family finds itself on the street. Israeli bulldozers came here to the neighborhood of al-Khalayleh, north of occupied Jerusalem, to destroy homes and shacks, displacing seven families. Half of their members are children. These families came to this neighborhood dozens of years ago. But that wasn't enough for the Israelis. Guest, Male #2 (Salim Jahalin, Owner of Destroyed Home) The Red Cross gave us each a tent. We put up our tents and they attacked us again. The Red Cross was here, and the UN was here. They took all of our tents. Five tents. Reporter, Female #2 As for the neighborhood of Beit Hanina, one of the largest Arab neighborhoods in eastern Jerusalem, the Natche family also finds itself without a home. Eleven family members, most of them children, are now living with their relatives. A week ago, settlers protected by occupation forces expelled them from their home under the pretext of having bought the land from its original owner. The family has been trying to annul the eviction notice in Israeli courts for 14 years. The fear is not only over losing this family's home and a nearby house, but from the construction of a settlement in the heart of an Arab neighborhood. Guest, Female #3 This land doesn't belong to the Jews. My dad bought it in 1953. They forged the papers. Reporter, Female #2 The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Palestinian territories, both condemned the displacement and expulsion, confirming they are a violation of international law. Guest, Male #4 (Ramesh Rajasingham, Director of Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) Forced displacement must be avoided at all costs. It is essential to keep them on their land and in their homes. They must be able to develop their communities where they already live. Forcefully displacing them increases their hardship and humanitarian needs, and prevents them from being self-sufficient. Reporter, Female #2 The two UN agencies confirmed that over 1,500 Palestinians have lost their homes in such destruction and expulsion operations since early 2011. International organizations confirm that continuing settlement construction and the destruction of Palestinian homes exacerbate humanitarian hardship, an admission that places the Israeli government in the spotlight. A government that accuses the Palestinians of evading negotiations, while in reality it deploys its bulldozers everywhere to continue its Judaization campaign and its attempt to end the presence of the Palestinians. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-100511?start=38 In the Gaza Strip, nearly 200 schools run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees were shut down in protest of the agency's suspension of Suhail al-Hindi, the head of the Arab staff union. Al jazeera has this report. Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-100511 Protest, Bahrain, Air strike, UN Security Council, Detention, Refugee, International Red Cross, UNRWA, Gaza, Syrian Civil War Presenter, Male # 1 In the Gaza Strip, nearly 200 schools run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees were shut down in protest of the agency's suspension of Suhail al-Hindi, the head of the Arab staff union, for three months. Presenter, Female # 1 The agency justified its decision by pointing to al-Hindi's community work that was attended by the leaderships of Palestinian political factions. Meanwhile, some considered the decision to be the result of al-Hindi's activities with the Hamas movement. Presenter, Male # 1 Our correspondent Wael el-Dahdouh attended the sit-in in Gaza. Reporter, Male # 2 There was no teaching on International Teachers' Day in the schools of the Relief and Works Agency for Refugees in Gaza. Schools were closed in response to the call of the agency's Arab staff union. The reason is the agency's suspension of the head of the union for three months under the pretext that he is carrying out activities that conflict with the agency's regulations. This means political work and meeting with politicians. So, thousands of teachers celebrated teachers' day in their own way. They held a strike and chanted against the decision they say is only one facet of the restriction of freedoms, the ideological oppression, labor injustice, and administrative corruption carried out by the agency against the employees. Guest, Male # 3 (Suhail al-Hindi, Suspended Union Head) After this day, we ask our colleagues not to sign, not to sign, not to sign, any contract that compromises our homeland. Reporter, Male # 2 The sit-in is considered the first in the agency's history by its employees in Gaza. It is the culmination of a series of protest actions taken in the past two weeks. Guest, Male # 4 (Mahmoud Hamdan, UNRWA teachers' union) It is the beginning of a very strong message to the agency's administration to reverse its unjust decision. For this reason, we have the right to escalate the actions of the entire union so we can restore this right to its owner until the agency reverses its unjust action. Reporter, Male # 2 The UN agency denied all these claims and considered a drastic solution with the employees' union a requirement seeing that an escalation will serve to destroy the lives of the refugees, who will be the only ones to lose from this action. Guest, Male # 5 The next step is to reach an agreement and a drastic solution with the employees' union and to reestablish the trust in order to serve the people of the Gaza Strip. There is no substitute and a pessimistic outlook will imply the complete destruction of the lives of 1.2 million Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip. Reporter, Male # 2 Schools were shut down but the case remains open. And seeing that it is a sensitive case and is linked to the fate of hundreds of thousands of refugees, it needs to be solved and needs to remain an important and sensitive issue. Wael el-Dahdouh, al-Jazeera, Gaza, Palestine. http://news.linktv.org/videos/syria-palestinian-refugee-camp-in-latakia-under-fire?start=0 A spokesperson for the UN agency handling Palestinian refugees says the Syrian army has fired at a refugee camp in the city of Latakia. He condemns the violence and calls for immediate access to the site. Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:23:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/syria-palestinian-refugee-camp-in-latakia-under-fire Latakia, Syria, Palestinian Refugees, Syrian army, Military of Syria, Refugee camp, UNRWA, United Nations, Al Jazeera English Chris Gunness, a spokesman for the UN agency handling Palestinian refugees says the Syrian army has fired at a refugee camp in the city of Latakia. He condemns the violence and calls for immediate access to the site. ---- Syria: Palestinian Refugee Camp in Latakia 'Under Fire' http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-081511?start=35 <p>A wave of deadly explosions rock Iraqi cities, Human Rights Watch blames all sides for crisis in Somalia, Tunisians take to the streets to denounce the transitional government, and more.</p> Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-081511 Protest, Israel, 2011 Israel protests, Tunisia, Tent city, Latakia, India, Egypt, Somalia, Pakistan Presenter, Male # 1 The Syrian army renewed its shelling of several neighborhoods in Latakia, stormed the Palestinian camp of al-Ramel, and the city of Hula in Homs province. Meanwhile, the Syrian Arab News Agency, SANA, denies that Syrian security forces used gunboats to shell Latakia. Reporter, Female # 1 For the third consecutive day, the Syrian scene is of the shelling of Latakia neighborhoods, most notably al-Ramel al-Janoubi, considered one the poorest area in the city. In addition, the Palestinian al-Ramel camp, which is home to 10,000 refugees, and al-Sakanturi were shelled. The outcome was the killing of civilians, including a woman on board a bus carrying a family fleeing al-Sakanturi. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the Syrian army renewed its shelling of several areas in the city and stormed al-Ramel camp. The observatory indicated that security forces sealed off the city's Ugarit Square and set up checkpoints, asking for identification cards and searching cars, and indicated that the number of detainees has exceeded 300 so far. The observatory confirmed that a convoy of tanks, armored vehicles, and personnel carriers entered the area of al-Hula in Homs province and began a wide-scale arrest campaign. And while rights organizations say the Syrian regime used gunships to shell Latakia, a high-ranking Syrian military official categorically denied any naval bombardment of the al-Ramel al-Janoubi neighborhood in the city. SANA confirmed that security forces are pursuing armed men terrorizing citizens and sabotaging private and public properties. It added that gunmen are using machine guns and explosives from behind barricades and are shooting from rooftops. It indicated that two members of a security unit were killed and 14 were injured while carrying out their duties. Presenter, Male # 2 A Syrian military source denied claims of a naval bombardment of al-Ramel al-Janoubi neighborhood in Latakia as reported by media outlets inciting unrest. The source confirmed the news is completely baseless, adding that gunboats were on a routine patrol to protect the coast and prevent weapons' smuggling into the country, as it has occurred in other areas. Guest, Male # 3 I am a resident of the Palestinian al-Ramel camp and I deny and condemn all these allegations. There are some armed men who are trying to kill soldiers. Guest, Male # 5 They want freedom, so they set up checkpoints. They think this is an emirate. They have weapons and are shooting from rooftops. They are firing at the army. Reporter, Female # 1 The Syrian Observatory announced that the army stormed a number of areas in Hama's countryside amid heavy gunfire and launched an arrest campaign. Syrian state-run TV broadcast videos of Hama, confirming that the city is regaining vitality and that official business has resumed. Politically, the Palestine Liberation Organization issued a statement denouncing the storming of al-Ramel camp in Latakia and the displacement of its residents. UNRWA announced that over 5,000 refugees fled the camp due to the shelling and demanded Damascus allow it to enter the camp. In addition, Jordanian Prime Minister Maaruf al-Bakhit called on his Syrian counterpart Adel Safar to immediately put an end to the violence in Syria and to begin implementing reforms and resort to dialogue. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-061411-world-news-from-the-middle-east?start=1038 Yemeni youth demand formation of a transitional council, security forces widen crackdown on northern Syria, a UN report blames the Israeli siege for Gaza's broken economy, and more.<br /> Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-061411-world-news-from-the-middle-east Syria, Hamas, Damascus, Al-Qaeda, Libya, Sudan, Gaza, Fatah, Iraq, Yemen Presenter, Male #1 The United Nations published a report on the continuing deterioration of the situation in the Gaza Strip as a result of the siege imposed by Israel. The report says that the unemployment rate in the Strip exceeds 45%, the highest in the world. Reporter, Female #1 Five years have passed since Israelis imposed a suffocating siege on the Gaza Strip. They said that the purpose of the siege was to weaken Hamas. But the UN report says that the policy deliberately harms the economy and impoverishes Palestinians. According to UNRWA, the private sector is most affected because the Israeli siege completely bans the exportation of goods. The public sector, which is administered by Hamas and was purportedly the target of the siege, is the only sector still functioning and provides livelihood to tens of thousands of employees and their families. It is known that Israel was forced to ease the siege on Gaza in the aftermath of its attack on the Freedom Flotilla, which shed light on the economic hardships of the Strip. However, the United Nations says that Israel's measures are inadequate and the economy provided by the tunnel is still the major source of livelihood for many people. The only channel connecting the residents of Gaza to the outside world is the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt. The Egyptian authorities announced they would reopen Rafah Crossing after the former regime collapsed, although Egypt still imposes a ban on the transportation of goods and limits trade with Gaza. This means that the clamp on Gaza is still tight. The UN report predicts the foreseeable future does not bode well. Dima Hamdan, BBC. Presenter, Male #1 In an Israeli response, the Israeli prime minister's spokesman, Ofir Gendelman described the UN report as contradictory to the reality. In an interview with the BBC, Gendelman denied that there was any siege imposed on Gaza initially. Guest, Male #1 (Ofir Gendelman, Spokesman for Israeli PM) This idea of a siege is an empty slogan, because in fact there is no siege on the Gaza Strip. There are certain restrictions on the movements of travelers into Israel, and there are tightened security measures for those who are assisting Hamas via the sea. But there is no siege, even most of the merchandise and goods that go into the Strip pass through the land crossings.