Israel opens Gaza border but fishing ban remains
Source: Agencies |
March 29, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ISRAEL yesterday fully reopened its border crossings with the Gaza Strip that were closed following militant rocket fire during US President Barack Obama's visit to the region last week, the military said.
Hours before the US leader visited the West Bank, Palestinian militants fired two rockets from Gaza into a southern Israeli city, causing damage but no injuries. The attack prompted Israel to close its only border crossing for commercial goods with the coastal territory, and to restrict its only civilian crossing to humanitarian cases only. It also limited the stretch of the sea where Gaza fishermen are allowed to fish.
The Israeli military said it has now reopened the commercial crossing and is allowing Palestinians with entry permits to cross into Israel through the civilian crossing, but the fishing restrictions are still in place.
A small al-Qaida-inspired group calling itself the Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem had claimed responsibility for last week's rocket fire.
In a statement, it said it was sending a message to "Osama's soldiers" - a reference to al-Qaida's late mastermind Osama bin Laden - to protest the visit by "the Roman dog Obama" and to continue its campaign of holy war, or jihad. The claim could not be verified but Israel holds Gaza's militant Hamas rulers responsible for all attacks coming from the coastal area.
Israel's military also said it arrested five Hamas activists in the West Bank city of Hebron the previous day. In the West Bank, Palestinian security forces said the arrested included Hamas legislator Mohammed Jamal Natshe and four local Hamas leaders, Abdul-Khaliq Natsheh, Mohammed Shawar, Amjad Hammouri and Jawad Jabari.
Over the past decade, Gaza militants have fired thousands of rockets and mortar shells at Israel. The rocket fire last week was the second time militants breached a November ceasefire.
Hours before the US leader visited the West Bank, Palestinian militants fired two rockets from Gaza into a southern Israeli city, causing damage but no injuries. The attack prompted Israel to close its only border crossing for commercial goods with the coastal territory, and to restrict its only civilian crossing to humanitarian cases only. It also limited the stretch of the sea where Gaza fishermen are allowed to fish.
The Israeli military said it has now reopened the commercial crossing and is allowing Palestinians with entry permits to cross into Israel through the civilian crossing, but the fishing restrictions are still in place.
A small al-Qaida-inspired group calling itself the Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem had claimed responsibility for last week's rocket fire.
In a statement, it said it was sending a message to "Osama's soldiers" - a reference to al-Qaida's late mastermind Osama bin Laden - to protest the visit by "the Roman dog Obama" and to continue its campaign of holy war, or jihad. The claim could not be verified but Israel holds Gaza's militant Hamas rulers responsible for all attacks coming from the coastal area.
Israel's military also said it arrested five Hamas activists in the West Bank city of Hebron the previous day. In the West Bank, Palestinian security forces said the arrested included Hamas legislator Mohammed Jamal Natshe and four local Hamas leaders, Abdul-Khaliq Natsheh, Mohammed Shawar, Amjad Hammouri and Jawad Jabari.
Over the past decade, Gaza militants have fired thousands of rockets and mortar shells at Israel. The rocket fire last week was the second time militants breached a November ceasefire.
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