Israel Matzav

Surprise: Hamas rejects PA deployment at Kerem Shalom

I don't know why anyone ever thought that this stunt would work. On Saturday, Hamas rejected a plan that would have turned over the Kerem Shalom crossing point between Gaza and Israel to 'Palestinian Authority' control.

PA Minister of Civil Affairs Hussein Ash-Sheikh said Thursday that "in coming weeks" the PA would take over administration of the crossing, which is the main terminal for supplies to enter the Strip.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Saturday that the PA’s request to control the crossing confirmed the Ramallah-based government's intention to remove Hamas from the Strip. Reports that the crossings hand-over was imminent demonstrated that the PA was cooperating with Israel to reinstate Fatah control of Gaza, the spokesman said.

Ash-Sheikh said the crossing "will be the main gate that will ease the siege on Gaza residents ... we will open the door widely and allow the export of products made in Gaza, it will also be the main entrance for imports ... our goal of ending the siege will be achieved."

The PA minister added that the planned hand-over was achieved "after hard rounds of discussions to achieve Palestinian sovereignty over this crossing."

...

The Hamas spokesman said that the Gaza government had managed to administer coordination of the crossing, noting that it cooperated with Israel on technical issues to facilitate the day-to-day lives of the Strip's residents. "The issues related to the lives of the residents have nothing to do with policies," Barhoum said.

The Hamas official further said that a PA takeover of crossings would diminish international support calling for an end to Israel's four-year siege of the coastal enclave.

I don't know why anyone thought that Hamas would ever agree to this. Totally delusional.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:24 PM