|
|
| By: Israel Insider staff and partners |
| Published: December 14, 2005 |
| |
Israel will not open the promised "safe passage" between the Gaza Strip and West Bank for Palestinians unless the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza is properly controlled, the Israeli army chief told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.
Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz told a closed meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that unless the Palestinians implement their part of the crossings agreement - preventing terrorists and weapons from entering Gaza through Rafah - "then we cannot allow other places to be breached and open as well," according to a participant in the meeting.
The Haaretz daily reported Halutz also said the passage would not be opened as long as Palestinian terrorists in Gaza fire rockets at Israel.
The accord, including opening Rafah, other crossings and the "safe passage" through Israel, was hammered out by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last month.
Israel is concerned that weapons entering Gaza could be transferred to the West Bank.
Palestinians and European monitors at Rafah say the problems there are only technical.
The AP contributed to this report. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
