Israel to ease siege for weak flotilla probe

[shaayecanaan]

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=290654

Facing growing international criticism over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israeli officials said they would agree, in principle, to permit the passage of substantially more aid through Israel's land crossings with the Hamas-controlled territory, according to the report.

Israeli officials reportedly denied there was any direct link between their willingness to cooperate over the blockade and the apparent ebbing of Western support for a UN-led international inquiry into to raid, but a Western source close to international discussions with Israel said "A quid pro quo deal is in the offing."

They include calls for Israel to abandon its official list of 35 items whose entry into Gaza is allowed in favour of a list of specifically outlawed items. Israel has also been asked to ease access into Gaza at its land crossings, where there are frequent bottlenecks, and to allow the UN to transport construction materials and equipment needed to rebuild 60,000 homes destroyed or damaged during the Gaza war.

The Israeli government is understood to have signalled its acceptance of most of these conditions, according to the report. "Israel could be flexible about items reaching the civilian population," an Israeli official told the newspaper.

He added that some construction materials like cement, which could be used to build military bunkers, could be allowed in under "third-party" guarantees, meaning that the UN would be responsible for ensuring that such materials did not fall into the hands of Hamas.

[azurnoir]

1. we'll have see how this pans out

perhaps it also because Israel does allow this Egypt may, but I sense a trap for the UN