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PNA Denies Reaching Deal on Reopening Rafah Crossing
2005-11-6 20:09:22    CRIENGLISH.com

Palestinian Minister of Communication Sabri Saydam denied on Sunday that there has been an agreement with Israel on reopening Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.


He told radio Voice of Palestine that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is exerting all possible efforts to operate Rafah crossing as soon as possible to allow the Palestinians to travel to and from the Gaza Strip without Israeli control.


Saydam said that the PNA accepted the Europeans as a third party besides the Egyptians and the Palestinians to supervise the operation of the crossing, however it objected to an Israeli demand for cameras installed at the crossing to enable the Jewish state to monitor the passengers' movement.


"We must guarantee the Palestinians passing through the crossing without restrictions," he added.


Israel's security cabinet last Tuesday approved an agreement with Cairo to re-open the Rafah crossing under the supervision of European inspectors.


However, disputes are still unsettled on the authority of the inspectors, as Palestinians consider them advisers while Israel wants them to have veto power over security enforcement.


Once the Egyptian-proposed plan is approved by the full Israeli cabinet probably on Sunday, negotiations will be held with the PNA directly.


Rafah crossing, the only exit of Gaza to the outside world, was closed in the absence of a deal several days before Israel completed withdrawal of settlers and troops from the Strip on Sept. 12. 

 

Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Mahmoud Al-Zahar said on Sunday that Hamas has set three major conditions for renewing a truce with Israel.


Al-Zahar told reporters that the conditions are ending Israeli military offensives against the Palestinians, releasing all prisoners in Israeli jails and improving the Palestinian situation by ending corruption and chaos.


He threatened to give up the truce, which will expire at the end of this year, if the conditions are not met, "Hamas this time will not accept any free ceasefire agreement in a new round of dialogue among Palestinian factions due in Cairo at the end of November."


He said when the factions agreed on the current truce in March, "we set the same conditions, but unfortunately these conditions were not fulfilled."


Leaders of Hamas and other 12 factions reached a ceasefire deal on March 17 in Cairo.


Meanwhile, deputy chief of Egyptian intelligence Mustafa al-Beheiri has sent invitation letters to leaders of Palestinian factions for dialogue in Cairo under Egypt's sponsorship.


Palestinian sources said the aim of the dialogue is to renew the truce with Israel before it ends.

(Source: Xinhua)
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