Rafah crossing
Photo: Reuters
Israel concerned over terrorists entering Gaza
Senior officials tell Ynet Israel worried over crossing of Palestinians on ‘black list’ of wanted individuals forbidden from entering Gaza through Rafah
Tension between Israel and the Palestinian Authority over security in Gaza continues: As Israel launches military operations over northern Gaza against Qassam rocket launchers, security officials are following with concern the entrance of armed Palestinians into Gaza via the Rafah border crossing.
Senior officials told Ynet that Israel is worried over the crossing of a number of Palestinians on "the black list" of wanted security individuals, who are forbidden from entering Gaza through Rafah.
A message expressing this concern was sent by Israel to the Palestinians, by way of American diplomats. Israel is also unhappy at the failure of the Palestinians to carry out "online" inspections of the crossing of people through Rafah between Egypt and Gaza.
This coming weekend will see the arrival of two U.S. State Department officials, David Welsch and Elliot Abrams, to Israel. Among other matters, the two envoys will deal with security questions in Gaza.
Jerusalem denies that the State Department officials arrived in order to discuss the possibility of elections in east Jerusalem.
Palestinians consider delaying elections
Meanwhile, Israel and the Americans are working to find a formula which could solve the question of whether to allow Arabs living in east Jerusalem to vote in the Palestinian elections, which are planned for the end of January.
A senior diplomatic official in Jerusalem told Ynet that "the decision is in Israel's hand, and it has yet to be made. This is a sensitive topic, and there is no intention to make statements about it, until a decision has been made."
The argument over allowing the elections to take place in east Jerusalem stems from the participation of Hamas in the Palestinian elections.
Israel says it is unwilling to have Hamas, an armed terrorist organization, operate in sovereign Israeli territory.
The Palestinians, for their part, are examining the possibility of delaying the elections and blaming the delay on Israel's refusal to allow east Jerusalem residents to vote.
