 Palestinian negotiators said Sunday they want Israel to throw open the gates to the Gaza Strip after its planned withdrawal from the fenced-in territory this summer, and suggested international monitors could control borders to allay Israel's security concerns.
| They can count the boomers swarming into Israel... |
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, said that ahead of his planned trip to the U.S. in May, he might meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The U.S. administration has urged Israelis and Palestinians to do more to coordinate the Gaza pullout, first envisioned by Israel as a unilateral move. Abbas traveled from the West Bank to Gaza on Sunday, a day after appointing three new security chiefs, as part of his internal reform program. The new chiefs are veterans, but with the appointments, Abbas has streamlined the unwieldy security apparatus, cutting the number of branches to three.
| Which is at least two more than they actually need, but a more reasonable number than 23... |
Israel's plan of "unilateral disengagement" from Gaza and four West Bank settlements says border arrangements will remain in place for security reasons. Israel currently controls all crossings in and out of Gaza - the Rafah terminal linking Gaza and Egypt, as well as the Karni, Kissufim and Erez crossings into Israel. During more than four years of fighting, Israel has imposed stringent travel restrictions on Gazans, who can only leave with special permits. |