Group: Israel Must Allow Movement in Gaza


AP
 Date: 04-24-05

By IBRAHIM BARZAK, Associated Press Writer

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israel must allow free movement in and out of the Gaza Strip, relinquish control over some border crossings and establish a "safe passage" to the West Bank as part of its planned withdrawal this summer, Palestinian negotiators said Sunday.

The demands were also contained in a four-page paper on Palestinian preparations for the pullout, presented to senior U.S. envoys several days ago and obtained by The Associated Press.

In the document, the Palestinian Authority writes it seeks "full ... sovereignty over the land borders, regional waters and air space of these areas, including securing an international presence."

Israel has staunchly opposed relinquishing control over crossings into Gaza, amid concerns that Palestinian militants could use free passage to bring large amounts of weapons into the territory.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Sunday that raising such issues now would only divert the two sides from what he said should be their focus ? coordinating the Gaza pullout.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, said Sunday he hoped to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon before a trip to Washington in May. Abbas had called Sharon on Friday. Abbas was to travel to Gaza later Sunday, after appointing three new security chiefs in major step toward internal reform demanded by the United States.

Sharon initially envisioned the withdrawal from Gaza and four settlements in the West Bank as a unilateral step, but both sides have come under increasing U.S. pressure to coordinate. In recent days, U.S. envoys met with Israeli and Palestinian officials, followed by Israeli-Palestinian talks.

The Palestinians fear that after Israel evacuates 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and withdraws its troops by the fall, it will isolate the 140-square-mile strip with 1.3 million Palestinian residents. Gaza is surrounded by a heavily fortified fence.

Israel currently controls all crossings in and out of Gaza ? the Rafah terminal linking Gaza and Egypt, as well as the Karni, Kissufim and Erez crossings into Israel. During more than four years of fighting, Israel has imposed stringent travel restrictions on Gazans, who can only leave the strip with special permits.

Mohammed Dahlan, the Palestinian Cabinet minister in charge of coordinating the withdrawal with Israel, said Sunday that Israel must ease movement in and out of Gaza. Earlier this week, Dahlan met with the Israeli defense minister, Shaul Mofaz.

"There will be no separation between the West Bank and Gaza, and we will not allow the Gaza Strip to be turned into a prison," Dahlan told reporters in Gaza. "We do not consider the withdrawal real unless we have total control over all the areas, borders and border crossings."

The Palestinian National Security Adviser, Jibril Rajoub, suggested the Palestinians might refuse to coordinate the withdrawal if the demands were rejected.

"The Palestinian leadership is ready to coordinate the withdrawal ... if it includes basic conditions," Rajoub told the Palestinian daily Al Quds. "One of the most important conditions is that the withdrawal be complete and comprehensive ... and that Israel withdraws from the international border crossings, and that there be no Israeli presence on the Egyptian-Palestinian border."

Rajoub raised the possibility that a third party could supervise the Rafah crossing, an idea that was previously raised in a World Bank report on the future of Gaza. The World Bank has said free movement of people and goods will be vital for rebuilding Gaza's tattered economy.

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