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Last update - 13:04 26/01/2008
Abbas to press Olmert on lifting Gaza blockade, control of crossings
By Ora Coren, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters
Tags: Tzipi Livni, Davos 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will ask Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to end a blockade in Gaza and accept his offer to control Gaza's border crossings, Palestinian officials said on Saturday.

The two leaders are expected to meet on Sunday to discuss how to push forward with peace talks after Hamas breached Gaza's border with Egypt in defiance of an Israeli blockade.

Israel and the Palestinians launched their most serious peace talks in seven years at a U.S.-sponsored conference in November with the goal of signing a peace treaty in 2008.
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Thousands of Palestinians poured into Egypt this week to stock up on food and fuel in short supply after Israel closed its borders with the Hamas-controlled territory in what it said was a bid to end cross-border rocket fire into southern Israel.

The fall of the border wall punched a new hole in a U.S.-backed campaign to curb the clout of Hamas and strengthen Abbas, nearly eight months after the Islamist group routed his Fatah forces in Gaza.

Abbas will also ask Olmert to lift immediately travel restrictions in the occupied West Bank, officials said. Israel has so far balked at removing its hundred of checkpoints that crisscross the West Bank.

"The number one issue on the agenda of Sunday's talks between President Abbas and Olmert will be ending the siege imposed on Gaza, and the need to end the siege in the West Bank as well, as there are hundreds of checkpoints there," senior Abbas aide Yasser Abed Rabbo told Reuters.

The newly launched talks have dealt with so-called final- status issues such as borders and the fate of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees, but the two leaders remain at odds over the scope of the deal.

Israeli officials said Olmert was seeking a deal that would outline a "framework" for a future Palestinian state with implementation delayed until the Palestinians can ensure Israel's security.

Abbas wants a final peace treaty enabling him to declare a state by the end of the year.

Israel said it had tightened its Gaza blockade last week to counter cross-border rocket fire, but after an international outcry, fuel and aid supplies were partly restored.

Abbas aides said Hamas's breach of the border gives Israel justification to divide the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip from the West Bank, where Abbas holds sway. Abbas wants both territories for a future Palestinian state.

Abbas will also press Olmert to allow his security forces to take control of Gaza's border crossings. Though Hamas has said it will prevent the move unless it has a say in any future agreements regarding the border crossings.

Israel mulls PA control of Gaza crossings
Israel could allow Gaza crossings to be opened under the security control of the Palestinian Authority, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said here Thursday.

"If the PA's security could be as effective as that of Jordan, Egypt, or even Syria, we would consider alleviating the situation [in the Gaza Strip] significantly," he said, adding: "We're not promising anything."

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said this statement was a source of hope. "We must seriously consider Israel's security concerns. We are committed to non-violence and to solving the conflict by peaceful means," he said.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni would not commit to completing negotiations with the Palestinians by the end of the year, when President George W. Bush's term in office comes to an end. She said the agreement is not connected to the present American administration.

"I don't like working to a timetable because it leads to frustration and violence," she said.

Livni said both sides want to solve the conflict and it takes time to do so properly. "I don't believe it's connected to the present American administration. We're doing it for our own sakes. We want to do it this year. We will have meetings every few days."

Livni said that before implementing the agreement certain changes must be made. "At this stage it does not appear possible to complete the agreement and throw a key over the fence, hoping someone on the other side catches it."

"We need an effective government that can rule, a proper administration, something that could change the situation and accept the key not only in the West Bank but in Gaza," she said.
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  1.   Gaza crossings 05:00  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 25/01/08
  2.   This would be a step in the right direction. 05:42  |  POP 25/01/08
  3.   Funny lines of article 05:57  |  Jon 25/01/08
  4.   Barak ran from Lebanon,Tzealim&now Egypt,not fit for Govt. 07:45  |  sam 25/01/08
  5.   Cynical and typical Israeli move 07:49  |  Natallie Durson 25/01/08
  6.   A. Bit. Too. Late. Now. 08:58  |  Johnboy 25/01/08
  7.   to let Terror PLO-PA handle Gaza crossings is in line with the 08:59  |  Joseph E . 25/01/08
  8.   Childish planning. 09:34  |  Vital 25/01/08
  9.   Arabs should storm the borders of Palestine 09:53  |  American 25/01/08
  10.   This is not the time to let the PA into Gaza but rather to 10:32  |  Rojer 25/01/08
  11.   #Natallie Durson 11:16  |  antony 25/01/08
  12.   Yet in the same paper on the same day 11:18  |  Paul Wood 25/01/08
  13.   Johnboy, that`s a pretty astute response 11:19  |  Eddy 25/01/08
  14.   Horses have bolted 11:21  |  Gilad 25/01/08
  15.   #9 where are the borders american ? 11:48  |  v hardman 25/01/08
  16.   HOW DID BARAK GET BACK ONTO THE POLITICAL SCENE 11:55  |  Lou Knee 25/01/08
  17.   #12 and the problem of having more children than you can feed woo 11:56  |  v hardman 25/01/08
  18.   To Rabbi Yakov Lazaros # 1 11:58  |  dovale 25/01/08
  19.   TO THE STORMY AMERICAN 12:06  |  dovale 25/01/08
  20.   HAS EVERYONE GONE CRAZY!!!! 12:16  |  Jason 25/01/08
  21.   More surrender of the Left 12:54  |  Frank 25/01/08
  22.   IDIOT! SECURITY OF ISRAELS JEWS IN PALESTINIAN HANDS???? 12:58  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 25/01/08
  23.   Dear Arab: the arabs did strorm the gates of Palestine in 1948, 14:37  |  Palestinian 25/01/08
  24.   zionist entity has no say in gaza/egyptian border 15:11  |  Assad-u-LLAH 25/01/08
  25.   I AM A FOOL!!! 15:31  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 25/01/08
  26.   Facts on the ground 15:43  |  North American 25/01/08
  27.   If Pa would be effective as Egypt is , Israel will need 16:06  |  Sal 25/01/08
  28.   17. to fake palestiniena: you zionist wet dreaming again 16:18  |  Assad-u-LLAH 25/01/08
  29.   Israel considering letting PA handle Gaza crossings 16:25  |  jon jakeoff 25/01/08
  30.   #20 lectures from n.american about facts on the ground 16:25  |  v hardman 25/01/08
  31.   Israel should build a cage around Gaza 16:59  |  Nechama 25/01/08
  32.   Palestinian #17 Dear Arab 17:47  |  Nechama 25/01/08
  33.   Egypt`s security is effective - look at the news! 17:50  |  redmike 25/01/08
  34.   5. dear natalie. latest isr`s tactical proposition 18:13  |  bozhidar balkas 25/01/08
  35.   the minister of defense who wants to encourage more terrorism 19:32  |  zionist forever 25/01/08
  36.   Go Gaza ! Go ! The evil state cannot hold you back!The divine 19:48  |  lakshmi 25/01/08
  37.   if they did let the PA handle the crossings,it would take the 19:58  |  terrornator 25/01/08
  38.   Arabs should storm the borders of Palestine 19:59  |  Tony Silver 25/01/08
  39.   Gaza is egypt`s problem, you broke it you bought it! 20:20  |  Voice of Reason 25/01/08
  40.   Fuhgedaboutit 20:35  |  Gray 25/01/08
  41.   #28 21:02  |  TOBIA 25/01/08
  42.   Typical Israeli Indicisiveness 21:42  |  Jimmy 25/01/08
  43.   what gaza crossings. close border with israel. all toward egypt 22:24  |  ralph 25/01/08
  44.   Oh, Ehud "The Knödel" Barak is in Switzerland? 22:25  |  Andreas 25/01/08
  45.   To Lakshmi (#36) 22:58  |  Morris Valentine 25/01/08
  46.   Transfer ALL 23:01  |  Jeff 25/01/08
  47.   Barak, a total failure 23:46  |  David 25/01/08
  48.   This would have been a good idea 01:22  |  Mark Lincoln 26/01/08
  49.   A Prescription for War 01:54  |  DoubleClick 26/01/08
  50.   Its Hard for Israel, If Palestine become a state 07:22  |  Cristo 26/01/08
  51.   45 Morris Valentine,the Hamas rockets are recent,about 6 to 7 14:00  |  lakshmi 26/01/08
  52.   Abbas - a useless little brown-nosing toady 15:01  |  Clickfool 26/01/08
  53.   #49 time to keep up with events and lose propaganda 15:18  |  v hardman 26/01/08
  54.   #48 Yeah Mark Lincoln, but also look at the WORDS 15:26  |  Johnboy 26/01/08
  55.   If Annas is to retain any credibility amongst Palestinians 15:30  |  Chris Linthwaite 26/01/08
  56.   #49 Doubleclick 15:35  |  Paul Wood 26/01/08
  57.   Never ending occupation 16:52  |  Baz Mann 26/01/08
  58.   #57 simple solutions baffle simple minds 17:53  |  v hardman 26/01/08
  59.   martin gilbert quotes in his book 18:32  |  bozhidar balkas 26/01/08
  60.   11 antony 18:46  |  jose marcio 26/01/08
  61.   When will the POLITICANS realize that 19:32  |  Arik 26/01/08
  62.   To lakshimi, I know you search justice but you need to know the 21:04  |  Dan Chazan 26/01/08
  63.   To Arik, Talking is not enough. 21:19  |  Dan Chazan 26/01/08
  64.   Abbas is a "Diva"! 21:27  |  AliciaYasmeen 26/01/08
  65.   On must give Abbas credit 01:04  |  Mark Lincoln 27/01/08
  66.   62 Dan Chazan you sound like a decent person,but I think you 01:08  |  lakshmi 27/01/08
  67.   To bozhidar balkas what are you talking about? 01:37  |  Dan Chazan 27/01/08
  68.   Lakshimi: You have to review your history. 01:56  |  Dan Chazan 27/01/08
  69.   PM Olmert: Hamas now between the Red Sea and the Med Sea. 02:04  |  commonsense 27/01/08
  70.   To Lakshimi on why you view things as you do 02:06  |  Dan Chazan