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Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. (Archives)
Last update - 00:13 28/01/2008
Olmert promises Abbas not to disrupt flow of food, medicine into Gaza
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Hamas, Gaza, Ehud Olmert 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday that Israel would not let a humanitarian crisis develop in Gaza, after its Islamist Hamas rulers blew up a border barrier with Egypt and shattered an Israeli blockade.

Hamas' dramatic border breach was the focus of Sunday's meeting between Olmert and Abbas, whose efforts to advance newly resumed peace negotiations have been sidelined by various crises.

The two leader met for a two-hour tete-a-tete at Olmert's official residence in Jerusalem. The two leaders met as Palestinians were pouring from the Gaza Strip into Egypt for the fifth consecutive day, after Hamas militants blew holes in the wall separating the two territories early Wednesday. Egyptian authorities have so far been unsuccessful in stemming the flow of Gazans across the frontier.
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Israel wants Egypt to seal its border with the Gaza Strip as it did immediately after Hamas violently seized control there in June. But Abbas, who is interested in regaining a toehold in the seaside territory, wants the passage to remain open and for his forces to assume control of the Gaza side of the crossing.

Abbas, whose moderate government rules only the West Bank, reasons the move would permit Israel to relax its economic sanctions on impoverished Gaza. But the Palestinian president has not explained how his men could operate in Hamas-run territory, let alone run border traffic effectively.

His plan would also amount to tacit recognition of Hamas rule in Gaza, something he has adamantly refused to do since the takeover. Hamas opposes any Israeli involvement in the Egypt-Gaza crossing.

Also Sunday, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said that Egypt had agreed to Abbas' plan to assume control over Gaza's border with Egypt, thus excluding Hamas.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Sunday discussed Abbas' suggestion "which was approved internationally at the Paris donors conference in December."

Egypt also called the Hamas takeover of Gaza in June a "coup against legitimacy" and urged all Palestinians to rally around Abbas.

Hamas however said Sunday it received assurances from Egypt that Cairo has not reached an agreement with Abbas government that would exclude the Islamist group from running Gaza's border.

A Hamas delegation is scheduled to discuss the crisis with Egyptian officials in Cairo on Wednesday, the Hamas premier of Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, said Sunday.

Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters that Egyptian officials had told Hamas that they wanted to work out a new arrangement to manage Gaza's border with Egypt in talks with Hamas and Abbas' Fatah faction.

Israeli officials have said that Olmert has so far rejected the idea of Abbas' government controlling the border crossings.

Partly because Abbas is unwilling to negotiate with Hamas - a position he reiterated Saturday - a transfer of control over the crossings is unlikely in the short term.

Palestinian sources told Haaretz Saturday that Hamas is now willing to see the government of PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad take over the crossings into the Gaza Strip in partnership with Hamas, in order to restore contacts between the two Palestinian factions and thus gain international legitimacy.

Meanwhile, Aboul Gheit said Saturday that Cairo will soon invite representatives of Fatah and Hamas to hold separate talks in an attempt to resolve the border crossing problem.

Also Saturday, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that there is a need for direct talks between Egypt and Hamas, in order to restore order to the border area with Egypt.

"We are offering an alternative - operating the Rafah crossing and coordinating its operation with the Egyptian authorities," Abu Zuhri told reporters yesterday.

"The situation in Rafah is temporary and unusual," he explained.

A Hamas leader said that freedom of movement in the Rafah area is expected to continue until an agreement is reached between the organization and the government of Egypt.

The Gaza crisis dominated Sunday's Olmert-Abbas summit, the latest in a series that followed U.S. President George W. Bush's Mideast conference last November, when it was decided to resume Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Both sides described Sunday's talks as constructive and positive, and said Israel reiterated its pledge to avert a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The leaders spoke at length about the situation in the Gaza Strip, Olmert spokesman David Baker said. They spoke about the need to prevent a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

He had no immediate information on whether Israel intended to increase the amount of aid now entering Gaza.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat confirmed that Israel pledged to avoid a humanitarian crisis.

Earlier this month, Israel tightened its already stringent restrictions on the movement of goods into Gaza in response to ongoing rocket fire at southern Israel from the territory, causing a severe shortage of fuel, electricity cutbacks and a lack of some basic foods.

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  • Abbas rejects talks with Hamas despite Gaza border chaos
  • Hamas takes control at frontier as 200,000 Gazans enter Egypt
  • Olmert calls for international force along Gaza-Egypt border
  • Muslim states: No need for multinational force on Gaza-Egypt border
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      1.   no, no and more no 03:13  |  vik 27/01/08
      2.   Yasser Abdo Rabbo is the infamous guy who sold out the 03:21  |  lakshmi 27/01/08
      3.   Àbbas is getting very desperate, Hamas is crushing him 05:38  |  Mark B. 27/01/08
      4.   Lakshmi #2 06:16  |  George Kaplan 27/01/08
      5.   Is abbas stupid? 06:17  |  a confused arab 27/01/08
      6.   Its better Gaza to form their own State, so that 06:34  |  Cristo 27/01/08
      7.   Back to the Future 06:46  |  Al 27/01/08
      8.   #7 Stop blaming Israel, Al? 07:12  |  Johnboy 27/01/08
      9.   Abbas scrambling to cover his ass.... 07:44  |  Hassa 27/01/08
      10.   lots to consider... 07:58  |  Mark 27/01/08
      11.   Abbas, they murder Fatah: 08:18  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/01/08
      12.   If Abbas rallies to Hamas , then Int`l Community Jizya paid to 09:00  |  Joseph . E 27/01/08
      13.   Egypt and the Arab refugees problem. 09:07  |  Harold Lane 27/01/08
      14.   Abbas the Fool.....No3 09:20  |  Palestinian Brit 27/01/08
      15.   History haunts 09:23  |  Adrian de Klerk 27/01/08
      16.   It is high time, very high time that people realized that the ... 09:52  |  Ruti 27/01/08
      17.   to Lakshmi #2 10:20  |  dovale 27/01/08
      18.   # 14 this arab post denies human rights to anyone 10:43  |  Joseph . E 27/01/08
      19.   Abbas = Uncle Tom for Israel 10:45  |  Mark Kienan 27/01/08
      20.   Abbas Surrendered Gaza to Hamas and Now Abbas Beggs IDF to 10:47  |  Joseph . E 27/01/08
      21.   Abbas, the Uncle Tom who lives in a world of his own 10:52  |  Clickfool 27/01/08
      22.   Hostages holding hostages 11:01  |  Tzfonit 27/01/08
      23.   Johnboy 11:01  |  Mark 27/01/08
      24.   Israel must consider the strategic implications 11:08  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/01/08
      25.   Abbas demands 11:14  |  KUTW 27/01/08
      26.   Hamas imposes its conditions on Egypt 11:23  |  KUTW 27/01/08
      27.   # 11 to margie in tel aviv 11:38  |  eric 27/01/08
      28.   abbas quisling for the national socialist zionists 11:43  |  sev 27/01/08
      29.   the fantasy continues apace ! imagination is everything 11:45  |  v hardman 27/01/08
      30.   Abbas needs Olmert to give him a concession 11:48  |  Paul Wood 27/01/08
      31.   Mark B."The punch Hamas has given Israel" 11:50  |  akiva (zionist) 27/01/08
      32.   g-d NO! two different issues!!! 11:54  |  akiva (zionist) 27/01/08
      33.   # 7 AL , # 23 Mark 12:01  |  SAM 27/01/08
      34.   This is a diversion 12:09  |  Rowan Berkeley 27/01/08
      35.   Yes, and Israel wants Iran to take over Dimona nuclear facility., 12:10  |  Martk Hamil 27/01/08
      36.   Margiewood 11 12:19  |  Guido 27/01/08
      37.   # 25 KUTW " Addendum" 12:20  |  Joseph . E 27/01/08
      38.   Tzfonit 12:26  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/01/08
      39.   Hamas is the nightmare. 12:26  |  guy 27/01/08
      40.   hey!! Mark K. Abbas is history & Olmert soon will be. 12:28  |  bill gordon 27/01/08
      41.   Ruti @ 16. Thank you for pointing out to us Resolution 242. 12:33  |  Drora 27/01/08
      42.   Hamas international legitimacy 12:34  |  KUTW 27/01/08
      43.   What will happen with the PA legitimacy? 12:36  |  KUTW 27/01/08
      44.   Hamas threatens Egypt 12:41  |  KUTW 27/01/08
      45.   # 42 KUTW 12:59  |  guy 27/01/08
      46.   # 16 Ruti and # 41 Drora Both Wrong 13:18  |  Joseph . E 27/01/08
      47.   To Demand From Abbas an Inquiry Commission about the recents even 14:06  |  Joseph . E 27/01/08
      48.   For KUTW, on "terrorists" # 44 14:14  |  Clickfool 27/01/08
      49.   Wow, the cat will now guard the cheese! 14:20  |  Avraham 27/01/08
      50.   Funny Clickfool Post No. 21 14:30  |  Neil 27/01/08
      51.   Guido 14:33  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/01/08
      52.   60 yr-old hunting season to go on but jews 14:40  |  bozhidar balkas 27/01/08
      53.   Funny Clickfool Post No. 21 15:03  |  Neil 27/01/08
      54.   Jerusalem belongs to the Jewish people. Haaretz print the article 15:09  |  Miriam 27/01/08
      55.   # 48 Clickfool `Wrong Again , more like spewing Anti Israel propa 15:10  |  Joseph . E 27/01/08
      56.   Abbas` wish list is to laugh at 15:14  |  Conroy 27/01/08
      57.   Hamas holds all the cards 15:21  |  Steve 27/01/08
      58.   Maybe swap that Barghouti dude for Schalit 15:25  |  Aphemia 27/01/08
      59.   the dog olmert ans abbas can bark all they want 15:29  |  Assad-u-LLAH 27/01/08
      60.   ZIONIST CREATE CRISIS, THEN WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT! 15:32  |  TrippleJump 27/01/08
      61.   57.Steve? Mashaal last said that Hamas would look at any peace 15:39  |  Assad-u-LLAH 27/01/08
      62.   The people of gaza and the WB R so Different- Separate D2 15:49  |  Ferragamo 27/01/08
      63.   Juliana who are calling, there is no one running Israel at this 15:59  |  Ferragamo 27/01/08
      64.   Time for Abbas to GO 16:02  |  blu 27/01/08
      65.   Dangerously Stupid 16:18  |  Jack 27/01/08
      66.   Ruti #16 and Drora #41, wake up. We`re in 2008, not 1967! 16:20  |  Ben Alofs 27/01/08
      67.   Clickfool # 48 Whitewashing Hamas 16:27  |  Jeff Northridge 27/01/08
      68.   Hi Margie - on My Predictions and burned bridges 16:30  |  Tzfonit 27/01/08
      69.