Olmert calls for international force along Gaza-Egypt border

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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called Tuesday for the deployment of an international force along the Gaza-Egypt border in order to stop the ongoing strengthening of extremist groups in the Gaza Strip.

In a conversation with Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen, Olmert said, "Should the Gaza Strip ultimately fall to Hamas, it will have regional implications.

"We cannot go into the Gaza Strip in order to fight the battle between Palestinian pragmatists and extremist forces," added the prime minister.

In a security consultation held Tuesday evening with IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, Defense Minister Amir Peretz decided Israel would not intervene in the internal fighting in the Gaza Strip.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/870089.html