World Jewish News
Gaza city (photo by bbc.co.uk)
|
Israel opens Gaza crossings, lets in aid
25.01.2010, Israel Israel has opened two Gaza border crossings to allow humanitarian aid and a limited load of goods in to the sealed-off Strip, the a Palestinian border official told the Ma'an news agency reported on Monday.
According to Raed Fattouh, the Kerem Shalom border crossing in Strip's southern end is expected to receive between 58 and 68 truckloads of humanitarian aid and agricultural goods.
In addition, another truck of cut carnations and one truck of strawberries will reportedly enter Gaza through the Karni crossing to the north, together with an estimated 96 truckloads of wheat and animal feed will as well as limited quantities of domestic gas and industrial fuel.
The Ma'an report also stated that on Sunday, Gazan authorities turned off electricity generators as a result of insufficient quantities of fuel being transferred into the coastal enclave.
Earlier Monday, the Foreign Ministry announced that it had refused Belgian minister Charles Michel's request for a visa to enter Gaza.
Deputy Foreign Ministry Danny Ayalon told Michel that Israel could not accede to the demand because such a move would be seen as a gesture to the Hamas.
Ayalon added that any aide Belgium planned to grant the Islamist movement would fall into the hands of militants, rather than being distributed among Gaza's needy.
Michel said in response to the rejection that European officials must be able to visit the territory to take part in the aid projects underway there.
"This situation is unacceptable," he told RTL TV.
Israel has refused a number of similar requests from foreign ministers of various countries, including that of Turkey, France and the European Union's foreign policy chief. Officials can enter Gaza from Egypt, however
Haaretz.com
|
|