Under U.S. pressure, Netanyahu may ease Gaza siege

[Scurrilous]

Source: Haaretz

Prime Minister willing to consider easing naval blockade on Gaza, while border crossings will remain closed.

<snip>

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is willing to consider easing the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip, as well as possible creative solutions for monitoring the goods that are allowed to enter the Hamas-ruled territory.

According to Netanyahu, the siege should focus on preventing the smuggling of rockets and weapons in order to avoid what he termed an "Iranian port in Gaza" in a speech he gave in Canada on Monday.

Netanyahu has also expressed willingness to involve international bodies in the enforcement of the naval siege.

The New York Times reported Thursday that the U.S. administration maintains that the naval siege cannot continue in its current format, and has apparently demanded that Israel ease its restrictions on the types of goods that are allowed to enter the Strip. The issue was brought up during a discussion between senior U.S. National Security Council officials and Netanyahu's envoys Isaac Molho and Uzi Arad at the White House, both of whom returned to Israel from Washington on Wednesday."

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/under-u-s-pressure-netanyahu-may-ease-gaza-siege-1.294038

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New Israeli Tack Needed on Gaza, U.S. Officials Say

<snip>

"The Obama administration considers Israel’s blockade of Gaza to be untenable and plans to press for another approach to ensure Israel’s security while allowing more supplies into the impoverished Palestinian area, senior American officials said Wednesday.

The officials say that Israel’s deadly attack on a flotilla trying to break the siege and the resulting international condemnation create a new opportunity to push for increased engagement with the Palestinian Authority and a less harsh policy toward Gaza.

“There is no question that we need a new approach to Gaza,” said one official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the policy shift is still in the early stages. He was reflecting a broadly held view in the upper reaches of the administration."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/03/world/middleeast/03policy.html?hpw

[snappyturtle]

1. I'll bet Netanyahu has his panties in a twist over this 'concession'.

The easing of the blockade won't occur because of Netanyahu's enlightenment over the plight of the Gazans but rather to re-direct the world's focus away from the murderous handling of the humanitarian boats. imho

[totodeinhere]

2. And I doubt if it will be much of a concession anyway. Probably more like window dressing. n/t