Israel blocks shipments bound for Gaza - letterMon Jun 18, 2007 5:54AM EDT
By Adam Entous
JERUSALEM, June 18 (Reuters) - Israel, the transit point
for goods entering the Gaza Strip, has ordered cargo
shipments to the Hamas-controlled territory blocked, the
Israeli customs authority said in a letter obtained by
Reuters on Monday.
Israel wants to isolate Hamas Islamists -- economically,
diplomatically and militarily -- in the Gaza Strip, while
allowing funds and trade to flow to the Western-backed
emergency government set up in the occupied West Bank
by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
"Given recent developments in the Gaza Strip and the
closure of crossings between it and Israel, I hereby
inform you that no cargo destined for the strip is to
be released until further notice," an Israeli Finance
Ministry official in charge of customs told international
customs agents in the June 17 letter.
-snip-Under the Israeli customs order, containers arriving at
Israeli ports of entry, including southern Ashdod near
Gaza, will not be cleared through Israeli customs, said
Majdi Haj Khalil, general manager for the Palestinian
Shippers' Council.
Under the order, containers bound for the occupied
West Bank will be cleared for entry, he added.
-snip-