US urges Israel to ease blockade in boost to Abbas

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US urges Israel to ease blockade in boost to Abbas - Irish Independent

Friday October 6th 2006


ISRAEL and the Palestinian Authority are studying a new American plan to ease the blockade on the Gaza Strip and strengthen Mahmoud Abbas, the moderate President, in his power struggle with Hamas.

During talks this week with Mr Abbas and Israeli ministers, Condoleezza Rice, the Secretary of State, pressed for an early agreement to open the Karni freight crossing through which Palestinian agricultural exports pass on their way from Gaza to European markets via the Israeli port of Ashdod.

Israel has frequently closed the terminal, which it says is a target for Palestinian bombers. It was reopened briefly this week for Ramadan, as was the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

Dr Rice, who left yesterday for a surprise visit to Baghdad on her way back to Washington via London, proposed a $25.5 million high-tech security centre for checking up to 400 lorries a day on the Palestinian side of Karni. To meet Israel's concerns, it would be manned by Mr Abbas' presidential guard, supported by international monitors.

The Americans are also offering $26 million to expand the presidential guard from 3,500 to 6,000 men. They hope this will give Mr Abbas a chance to head off an incipient civil war between his own Fatah and the Hamas government, which is boycotted by the international community because it refuses to recognise Israel, accept previous agreements and renounce violence. Dr Rice told Tzipi Livni, the Israeli Foreign Minister, that the boycott was effective and would remain in force.

Nabil Amr, an adviser to Mr Abbas, said they were waiting for more details and to see how Israel responded.