Israel facilitated Monday the transfer of furniture from the Gaza Strip to Jordan, the first time such exports were allowed since Hamas's rise to power in Gaza in 2007.
The decision to allow the exports of the furniture was made in keeping with the security cabinet decision from June 2010 to expand the exports of agricultural, furniture and textile products from Gaza. On Monday, the Office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) permitted a truckload of furniture to leave Gaza and travel to the Allenby Bridge where it crossed in to Jordan. The furniture will be on display at an exhibition in Jordan where Palestinian merchants in Gaza hope to receive orders for their products.
Until now Israel has only allowed agricultural exports fronm Gaza, mainly to European markets, totaling 400 tons of strawberries, 40 tons of peppers, 6 tons of cherry tomatoes and 812,000 carnations.
