 |
 |
 |
|
|
The gates of the Kissufim crossing, between Israel and the Gaza Strip, are closed for the last time. (AP)
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
09/12
Haaretz |
|
|
| By israelinsider staff and partners September 12, 2005 |
|
| |
 |
| The last IDF jeep crosses into Israel from the Kissufim crossing. (AP) |
| |
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday night that the IDF withdrawal from the Gaza Strip does not end the occupation of Gaza.
According to a report in Haaretz, Abbas said, "The Strip is one large prison, and the army's departure does not change this situation."
In a statement from his office, Abbas said the Israeli exit from Gaza is "an important step, but there are still many things to be done."
Abbas said Israel's 38-year hold on Gaza "was not only occupation, it was aggression, humiliation, killing and settlement."
"Today is a day of joy and happiness that our people were deprived of in the past century," he said, adding that the dream of the Palestinians is a state in the West Bank and Gaza with a link between the two through Israel.
Abbas insisted that Israel's exit from Gaza did not end its occupation, because Israel continues to control its borders, air space and seacoast.
Abbas spoke after a press conference in Gaza, in which Civil Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan harshly attacked Israel and its treatment of the Gaza border crossings.
According to the Haaretz report, Dahlan said, "The Erez crossing is not at the correct location of June 4 [1967], and Israel has closed the Rafah crossing and is making unacceptable demands regarding it."
While the Palestinians and Israelis settle on a third-party supervision agreement at the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, Israel closed Rafah in order to prevent illegal weapons smuggling from Egypt to Palestinian terrorists, a problem that has occurred on several occasions in the past.
At present, Palestinians coming to the Gaza Strip from Egypt will be required first to travel to Kerem Shalom to receive an official Israeli permit of passage, and only then go on to the Erez crossing to enter the Strip, reported Haaretz.
Abbas nevertheless expressed some degree of praise for Israel's withdrawal progress, to date. "This does not limit the victory we are seeing today... tanks and armored vehicles leaving Gaza, Israeli flags lowered forever."
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.
|
|
| |
|
|
