Israel refuses to let French FM visit Gaza

[bemildred]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not grant French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner permission to visit the Gaza Strip, an Israeli official said on Tuesday.

Kouchner had requested to travel to the coastal territory during his upcoming visit to Israel and the West Bank.

According to the official, Netanyahu sent a message to the French minister saying he could not accede to his request as Hamas would likely take advantage of the visit to create a media frenzy and parade the damages caused by Israel during the Gaza war earlier this year.

On his intented visit to Gaza, Kouchner had planned to observe the construction being done in collaboration with the French at the Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1122381.html

[Violet_Crumble]

1. How dare the damage caused by Israel be shown to people!

If Israel doesn't want the damage and destruction it causes to be shown off, then Israel should think seriously about not giving people anything to show...

[azurnoir]

2. Perhaps he should address his request to the Egyptians

perhaps then he could enter through Rafah, it is a possibility

Israel however seems intent on continuing to debase itself by these types of actions, albeit I am sure there will claims of "safety" issues of some sort, which make no sense as there are already French nationals in Gaza and Israel has allowed American Congressmen into Gaza and there have not been "security" problems resulting from those visits

[Jefferson23]

3. Wow, what a shock, Nutty says No can do for you Kouchner.

A media frenzy that would not generate a plus for Israel, at least he is consistent.