Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., May 27, 2008 Iyyar 22, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:06 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 15:34 26/05/2008 Red Cross urges Israel to allow Palestinian prisoners family visits By Reuters Tags: Gaza Strip, Hamas, ICRC  The International Committee of the Red Cross called on Israel on Monday to allow Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to visit relatives in Israeli jails, a practice suspended a year ago after Hamas seized the territory. "While we acknowledge Israel's security concerns, we strongly believe that they alone cannot justify the all-out suspension of family visits to detainees," Christoph Harnisch, head of the ICRC's delegation in Israel and the Palestinian territories, said in a statement. Israeli officials were not immediately available to comment. Advertisement Israel has sharply restricted the passage of people and goods at its border crossings with the Gaza Strip since Hamas Islamists took over the coastal enclave in fighting against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction last June. The Israeli closure also effectively prevented Gazans from visiting family members jailed in Israel, which holds about 11,000 Palestinian prisoners, about 700 of them from the Gaza Strip. "This measure is depriving both detainees and their relatives of an essential life line," Harnisch said. The ICRC, which has been organising Palestinians' prison visits in Israel since the 1967 Middle East war, said the border restrictions further exacerbate "the daily hardship faced by the Palestinian population trapped in the Gaza Strip". Israeli leaders have pledged to continue to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip but have said Palestinians in the territory should not expect to lead normal lives while militants fire rockets into southern Israel. Egypt has been trying to broker a truce to end the border violence, a deal which the Palestinians hope will secure the opening of the crossings. Related articles: Fearing Gaza rockets, IDF moves troops, civilian staff from Erez Gaza crossings under attack: gunfire at Karni, suicide bomb bid thwarted at Erez Gazans fear for their health as they turn to cooking oil to power cars Bookmark to del.icio.us   Nuclear allegation Jimmy Carter says Israel has arsenal of 150 nuclear weapons. On penalty of death Rightist MK Eldad says those who give away Israeli land should get death penalty.   1.   The RC,collaborator of terror,stop donating money 15:43  |  Absolute Sweden 26/05/08   2.   While we`re on the subject, Red Cross, 15:54  |  nina 26/05/08   3.   Red Cross chutzpa 16:07  |  ChanahS 26/05/08   4.   No problem... 16:20  |  Israeli 26/05/08   5.   Prisoners??? 17:05  |  Joe 26/05/08   6.   is this the same red cross in ww2 who claimed the nazis 17:15  |  victor hardman 26/05/08   7.   reciprocity 17:31  |  Shmuelshachor 26/05/08   8.   Exactly to #4 17:58  |  Ros 26/05/08   9.   Red Cross - let`s be fair 18:17  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 26/05/08   10.   Israeli prisoners 18:23  |  Serge 26/05/08   11.   Red Crystal 19:15  |  Londoner 26/05/08   12.   no way. red cross useless. until we get to visit ours no way. 21:01  |  ralph 26/05/08   13.   Here we go again. Childish chatter. 21:03  |  Stephen. 26/05/08   14.   Why arent the Red X visiting Shalit? 21:26  |  Umm Danny 26/05/08   15.   #5 09:52  |  Uzi 27/05/08

Read & React Israel's wrong to ban Finkelstein, while allowing in Kahanists Responses: 4 PA forces in W. Bank 'much improved,' but go easy on Hamas Responses: 8 Barack Obama: I wouldn't promise Ahmadinejad a meeting Responses: 1 Monument to gay victims of Nazis to be unveiled in Berlin Responses: 3 Rosner's Domain Rosner's Guest: Jeremy Ben-Ami, the co-founder of J Street Explaining Hagee's Holocaust remarks Poll: Peace between Israel & Syria? Should American Jews Embrace Living Double Lives? Rosner's Guests: can "decisive victory" against guerilla achieved? More Headlines 10:03 Key witness Talansky gives deposition in case against Olmert 10:06 J'lem sources say Israel and Hezbollah strike prisoner swap deal 10:05 ANALYSIS / Nasrallah preparing for Kuntar's homecoming 10:04 'Tootsie' director Sydney Pollack dies of cancer at 73 06:00 Israeli source: PA security forces have improved dramatically in West Bank 02:52 Monument to gay victims of the Nazis to be unveiled in Berlin 10:04 Barack Obama: I wouldn't promise Ahmadinejad a meeting 22:20 Defense officials: Anti-rocket system to be ready to test this year 02:46 Abducted soldiers' families skeptical about Lebanese reports of swap deal 02:47 Arab children nearly 3 times more likely to die in accident 05:48 IAEA: Iran still holding back information about nuclear research 05:56 Justice minister blasts 'publicity hungry' Supreme Court Previous Editions Select Day 26 may 25 may 23 may 22 may 21 may 20 may 19 may 18 may 16 may 15 may 14 may 13 may

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