Following orders. Aboul Gheit
Photo: AP
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Sunday that Cairo is holding contacts with elements in the international arena, including Israel in an effort to lift the Gaza blockade. According to him, these efforts will lead to a breakthrough shortly.
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During a press meeting, Aboul Gheit said there are signs indicating that "positive changes will happen for the Palestinian people in Gaza" soon. He said he was following the orders of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who has received Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pledge that Israel would partially open Gaza's crossings.
Israel is facing heavy international pressure to ease the blockade in the aftermath of the deadly commando raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla. On Sunday Netanyahu ordered Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz to form a plan outlining the transfer of goods to the Gaza Strip, in accordance with a new policy being devised by the government.
The Telegraph reported last week that Israel is prepared to accept a British plan to ease its blockade of Gaza in exchange for international acceptance of a watered-down investigation into the flotilla raid, which left nine Turkish citizens dead.
On Wednesday Israel allowed some formerly banned food items into the Gaza Strip.
Roni Sofer contributed to the report