U.S Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, center, EU 's Foreign policy chief Javier Solana, left, and international Mideast envoy James Wolfensohn during a press conference in J'lem, Tuesday. (AP)
Israeli and Palestinian officials have clinched a long-awaited deal on the manning of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday, after marathon Israeli-Palestinian talks through the night and well into Tuesday morning.
Rice praised the deal as a "big step forward" in strained Israeli-Palestinian relations. She personally presided over the final rounds of talks.
"This agreement is intended to give Palestinian people the freedom to move, to trade, to live ordinary lives," Rice told a news conference.
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"I have to say as a football fan, sometimes the last yard is the hardest, and I think we experienced that today," she said.
Under the deal, the border would tentatively open November 25, and construction of a Gaza seaport would begin.
Palestinians would be able to travel between the West Bank and Gaza in bus convoys through Israel.
The agreement gives the Palestinians control over a border for the first time and will provide a much-needed boost to the shattered Gaza economy. It also marks an important breakthrough for the sides, who so far have failed to capitalize on the momentum created by the withdrawal.
The deal also strengthens Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas ahead of January 25 parliament elections and help him fend off a strong challenge by the Islamic militant group Hamas.
The European group will be headed by an Italian general, said Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Shaath.
Israel also said that by the end of the year it would allow at least 150 daily truckloads of cargo to be exported from Gaza through the Karni crossing into Israel, up from the 35 truckloads a day that crossed before Israel pulled out from Gaza. At least 400 daily truckloads will be allowed to pass by the end of 2006.
Construction of a Gaza seaport - which could take several years to complete - is to begin soon, and Palestinians will be able to travel between the West Bank and Gaza in bus convoys, starting Dec. 15.
No agreement was reached on reopening Gaza's airport, which Israel largely destroyed during five years of fighting with the Palestinians, but Rice stressed the importance of reaching such a deal soon.
"I am encouraging Israel to consider to allow construction to resume," she said, speaking slowly and deliberately.
Rice also emphasized that the United States was committed to security - Israel's main concern in reaching a deal on the crossings - and reiterated the long-standing U.S. demand that the Palestinians crack down on militant groups.
"Progress ... cannot continue unless there is also progress in fighting terror," she said.
Negotiators met throughout the night at the Jerusalem hotel where Rice was staying, with Rice shuttling between the sides. On Tuesday morning, she met with Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz to finalize the details.
Determined to make progress in the deadlocked talks on the matter, Rice had postponed her departure from the region Monday, remaining in Jerusalem for another night to hold further talks with officials from both sides.
Israel Radio reported Tuesday morning that according to the agreement, Palestinian customs officials will be stationed at the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza, with Israeli inspection of goods passing through, while at the Rafah crossing there will be a communications center with videos filming people crossing the Egypt-Gaza border.
The radio said that the videos will be monitored by Israeli officials, and European observers will have the final decision in the event of a dispute over passage for persons Israel deems suspicious and the Palestinian Authority believes should be allowed to cross.
Rice left Israel briefly on Monday evening for a visit to Jordan to offer her condolences in the wake of the triple suicide bombing in Amman last week in which at least 57 were killed. Breaking from her original itinerary, she then returned to Jerusalem.
In a suite overlooking the Old City, she met separately with senior Israeli and Palestinian negotiators overnight Monday, constantly amending texts on a laptop computer.
Staff luggage remained on her aircraft and plans were hastily made to stay overnight in Jerusalem. A departure was planned for later Tuesday.
A senior State Department official said Rice was working on a range of issues with senior Palestinian negotiators.
The Quartet's Middle East envoy, James Wolfensohn, who has
threatened to quit because of frustration over an impasse in negotiations over border crossings, left in the early hours.
Rice will leave Israel on Tuesday and will head for South Korea
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