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Yasser Arafat International Airport

Coordinates: 31°14′47″N 34°16′34″E / 31.24639°N 34.27611°E / 31.24639; 34.27611
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(Redirected from Gaza International Airport)
For the pre-World War II international airport in Gaza, see RAF Gaza.

Yasser Arafat International Airport

مطار ياسر عرفات الدولي
The airport in 2005
Summary
Airport typeDefunct
OperatorPalestinian Civil Aviation Authority and Israeli government
LocationGaza Strip
Opened24 November 1998 (1998-11-24)
Closed2001
Elevation AMSL98 m / 320 ft
Coordinates31°14′47″N 34°16′34″E / 31.24639°N 34.27611°E / 31.24639; 34.27611
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
01/19 3,076 10,091 Asphalt (severely damaged)

Yasser Arafat International Airport (Arabic: مطار ياسر عرفات الدولي Maṭār Yāsir 'Arafāt ad-Dawli) (IATA: GZA, ICAO: LVGZ),[1] formerly Gaza International Airport and Dahaniya International Airport, was located in the Gaza Strip, between Rafah and Dahaniya, close to the Egyptian border. The facility opened on 24 November 1998, and all passenger flights ceased in February 2001, during the Second Intifada. Israel bombed the radar station and control tower on 4 December 2001 and bulldozers cut the runway on 10 January 2002, rendering the airport inoperable.

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.[2] It was built with funding from Egypt, Spain, and Germany and was designed by Moroccan architects.[3][4] The total cost was US$61 million.[4] 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.[5] Palestinian Airlines relocated to Gaza from El Arish, Egypt, and operated the first commercial flight to Amman on 5 December.[6] On 14 December, US president Bill Clinton landed at the airport and took part in a ribbon cutting.[7] At the time, the opening of the airport was described as evidence of progress toward Palestinian statehood and of collaboration between Israelis and Palestinians.[8][9]

The airport was operated by the Palestinian Civil Aviation Authority.[4] Passengers underwent security screening by Israeli soldiers at the Rafah crossing; then they took a bus to the terminal to catch their flight.[9] 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.[10]

Second Intifada

The airport closed soon after the Second Intifada broke out in September 2000.[11] The Israeli military bombed the radar station and bulldozed the runway in December 2001. It broke up the runway again the following month.[12] Israel feared that the Palestinians would use the airport to smuggle in weapons and militants.[3] In March 2002, the International Civil Aviation Organization rebuked Israel for the attack on the airport.[13]

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.[11][9] 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.[14]

Hamas rule in Gaza Strip

The pact subsequently became moot. In 2006, Hamas won the legislative election.[15] It also kidnapped an Israeli soldier, sparking a conflict during which Israel bombed the airport.[16] Hamas took over the Gaza Strip the following year, and the Israelis continued to shell the airport during wars with the group.[17]

People stole equipment from the site.[17] They also chipped away the runway and terminal to obtain rubble; the Israeli blockade of Gaza had resulted in a shortage of building materials.[16]

Infrastructure

The total area of the airport was 450 hectares (1,100 acres).[18] The passenger terminal was able to handle 700,000 passengers per year and was decorated with stone mosaics and Islamic paintings.[18][19] There was also a VIP lounge, which had a golden dome modeled after the Dome of the Rock and a suite for Arafat.[18] The asphalt runway was designated 01/19 and measured 3,076 by 45 metres (10,092 ft × 148 ft).[20]

  • Damaged building, May 2002
    Damaged building, May 2002
  • Ruins of Yasser Arafat International Airport
    Ruins of Yasser Arafat International Airport
  • 2008 satellite photo of the runway
    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.
  • "West Bank and Gaza: Transport Sector Strategy Note". World Bank. 30 October 2007. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
Specific
  1. ^ "Codes of Gaza - Yaser Arafat International Airport in Gaza City, Palestine (PS)". AirportsBase. 2021. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  2. ^ Watson 2000, pp. 148–150.
  3. ^ a b Mong, Adrienne (19 May 2005). "Grounded in Gaza, but hoping to fly again". NBC News. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  4. ^ a b c World Bank 2007, pp. 88–92.
  5. ^ Sontag, Deborah (24 November 1998). "Palestinians Walking on Air At Opening of Gaza Airport". The New York Times. ProQuest 109855451.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ Fidler, Stephen (15 December 1998). "Clinton flies in to Gaza and makes Arafat's day". Financial Times. ProQuest 248666784.
  8. ^ "Palestinians cheer airport as first step to statehood". Calgary Herald. Associated Press. 25 November 1998. p. A15.
  9. ^ a b c King, Laura (31 May 2005). "Symbol of Freedom Waits for Takeoff". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 422114618.
  10. ^ Luxner, Larry (9 May 2000). "Palestinians plan cargo terminal at Gaza airport". Journal of Commerce. ProQuest 313487540.
  11. ^ a b 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.
  12. ^ "Israeli Army Bulldozes Gaza Airport Runway". The New York Times. 11 January 2002. ProQuest 2231377539.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ World Bank 2007, pp. 24–26.
  15. ^ Rudoren, Jodi (12 August 2014). "Dream of a Gaza Seaport Is Revived in Truce Talks". The New York Times. ProQuest 1552538079.
  16. ^ a b "Scavengers collect rubble of Gaza's bombed airport". Associated Press. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ a b c Trounson, Rebecca (19 November 1998). "Palestinians Gear Up for Opening of Gaza Airport". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 421330007.
  19. ^ "Israelis anxious over Gaza airport". Airline Business. 31 December 1998. Archived from the original on 17 October 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Technical information". Gaza International Airport. Archived from the original on 16 January 2001. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
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