Israel Matzav

Mofaz rules out Gaza-West Bank convoys

Israel is unwilling to allow Palestinian convoys to cross from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank for fear that terror groups would transfer know-how on making Qassam rockets to hostile elements in the West Bank, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Thursday.

Mofaz said the main challenge facing Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas after the January 25 parliamentary elections is to disarm terror organizations.

In talks with U.S. Secretary of State Envoy for Far Eastern Affairs David Welch, Mofaz said Israel is, in principle, interested in allowing Palestinian movement from Gaza to the West Bank. The closure of the Philadelphi and Rafah crossings have seen a decrease in arms smuggling into Israel, Mofaz told Welch, adding that arms continue to be smuggled from Egypt into the Gaza Strip.

“We will not tolerate a terror authority and we demand that Abbas presents a plan. Without such plan it will be impossible to progress in road map talks with the Palestinians in the future,” said Mofaz.

Mofaz told Welch that Abbas is facing the most difficult crisis since his election, as he has lost control over the Palestinian Authority and was proven incapable of ending the state of chaos in the territories.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:36 PM