Israel halts talks with PA on Gaza-West Bank bus convoys
Israel halts talks with PA on Gaza-West Bank bus convoys
By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent
The security-political cabinet has decided to suspend talks with the Palestinian Authority on operating bus convoys between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, despite an agreement made last month in talks brokered by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
According to the agreement, the bus convoys were slated to start operating next Thursday, and truck convoys were to begin in mid-January. The Prime Minister's Office said it notified the United States of its decision to suspend talks on Tuesday, shortly after the senior ministers approved the move, which had been recommended by security officials in the wake of Monday's terror attack in Netanya.
Meanwhile, C. David Welch, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, is due to arrive in Israel Thursday to discuss issues including the convoys, the Karni crossing and the Gaza airport.
In the cabinet decision, the ministers said convoy talks would be renewed only after the PA fulfilled its obligation to act against terrorists.
A security official on Wednesday linked the suspension of the convoy talks to a disagreement over the supervision of the Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border. Israel says the Palestinians are not allowing the border to be monitored effectively, which enables hostile elements to enter Gaza. Officials said that as long as Israel is unable to monitor entry into the Gaza Strip, it cannot allow Palestinians to go through Israel to get from Gaza to the West Bank. MORE
Posted by Ted Belman at December 8, 2005 03:18 PM
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1
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Leonard
said:
Its astounding that Israel ever agreed to such a link in the first place - whatever was going through the minds of the bureaucrats?
Posted by: Leonard on December 8, 2005 04:46 PM
2
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daniel horowitz
said:
The same thing that was going through their minds during the expulsion and inquisition.
Posted by: daniel horowitz on December 8, 2005 06:23 PM
Israel halts talks with PA on Gaza-West Bank bus convoys
By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent
The security-political cabinet has decided to suspend talks with the Palestinian Authority on operating bus convoys between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, despite an agreement made last month in talks brokered by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
According to the agreement, the bus convoys were slated to start operating next Thursday, and truck convoys were to begin in mid-January. The Prime Minister's Office said it notified the United States of its decision to suspend talks on Tuesday, shortly after the senior ministers approved the move, which had been recommended by security officials in the wake of Monday's terror attack in Netanya.
Meanwhile, C. David Welch, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, is due to arrive in Israel Thursday to discuss issues including the convoys, the Karni crossing and the Gaza airport.
In the cabinet decision, the ministers said convoy talks would be renewed only after the PA fulfilled its obligation to act against terrorists.
A security official on Wednesday linked the suspension of the convoy talks to a disagreement over the supervision of the Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border. Israel says the Palestinians are not allowing the border to be monitored effectively, which enables hostile elements to enter Gaza. Officials said that as long as Israel is unable to monitor entry into the Gaza Strip, it cannot allow Palestinians to go through Israel to get from Gaza to the West Bank. MORE
Posted by Ted Belman at December 8, 2005 03:18 PM