Hamas calls on Arab leaders to support Egyptian position on Gaza borders,  Bahar meets Egyptian Labor Party delegation

Bahar meets Egyptian Labor Party delegation

[ 27/01/2008 - 05:47 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Dr. Ahmed Bahar, the acting speaker of the PLC, met with an Egyptian delegation from the Labor Party headed by its secretary-general Mohamed Sakawi and briefed him on the impact of the Israeli siege on all aspects of life in Gaza especially patients after the IOA blocked the entry of medical and fuel supplies to the Strip.

Dr. Bahar welcomed the Egyptian decision which allowed thousands of Palestinian families to cross the Egyptian borders, calling on the Egyptian government to allow all Palestinian patients to get access to hospitals in Cairo to receive medical treatment in addition to allowing Palestinian passengers to fly from and to the Egyptian airports.

The acting speaker expressed his appreciation for the Egyptian soldiers at the Rafah crossing and their role in serving the Palestinian citizens.

For his part, the secretary-general of the Labor Party opined that these days are historic moments in the Palestinian-Egyptian relations and a genuine expression of the historical relationship between the two countries.

The secretary-general added that the Egyptian MPs are making great efforts with the Egyptian authorities to facilitate the access of Palestinians to Egypt and provide more support to the Palestinian people, pointing out that many MPs brought with them convoys of relief assistance to the Gaza people.

The acting speaker also received a delegation from the Turkish humanitarian relief foundation IHH headed by Abdullah Bayrak, the regional director for the Middle East, accompanied by Turkish medical and media crews, where the Turkish delegation briefed the acting speaker on the humanitarian aid given by Turkish institutions to the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Dr. Bahar also met with a delegation from the federation of doctors in Egypt and a media delegation from Islam Online website as well as many Egyptian charitable and relief institutions.

Hamas calls on Arab leaders to support Egyptian position on Gaza borders

[ 27/01/2008 - 11:48 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

The Hamas Movement called on the Arab leaders to politically and economically support the Egyptian position on the opening of the borders with Gaza in order for Egypt to stand firm in the face of external pressures, which will contribute to achieve the Palestinian interests and break the suffocating siege.

Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, underscored in a statement on Saturday that the crisis in the Gaza Strip cannot be addressed by relief lasting for several days, but by ending the siege and the opening of crossing points, urging the Arab masses to intensify their solidarity activities calling for breaking the siege.

Dr. Abu Zuhri considered that the statements of PA chief Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday in which he set preconditions before any dialogue with Hamas as a rejection of the Egyptian invitation for dialogue with Hamas.

The spokesman noted that Hamas submitted a proposal to the Egyptian leadership to hold a tripartite meeting between Hamas and Fatah with the Egyptian leadership to make arrangements to manage the crossings, adding that the PA chief's statements that he tendered an integrated plan on the issue of the crossings were of no value in light of his rejection to discuss this plan with Hamas.

The spokesman recalled that Abbas had never answered a question often asked by Hamas on how he accepts unconditional dialogue with the Israeli occupation which commits daily crimes against the Palestinian people while putting dozens of conditions before any dialogue with Hamas.

In a related context, Arab diplomatic sources stated Saturday to the United Press International (UPI) news agency that the Arab foreign ministers who are to meet Sunday in Cairo will discuss the plan of providing financial assistance to Egypt to help it alleviate the burdens of the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip over the past months.   The sources told the UPI that the meeting of Arab foreign ministers would be held on the sidelines of another meeting to be held by the Arab League to discuss the crisis caused by the recent influx of thousands of Palestinians to Egypt to get their basic needs.   The sources explained that the meeting of foreign ministers would study the possibility of providing special Arab contribution in the areas of fuel and electricity to the Gaza Strip from Arab sources.

For his part, Ihab Al-Ghussain, the spokesman for the interior ministry in the PA caretaker government in Gaza, highlighted that the ministry will not allow anyone to harm the Egyptian security elements present at the Rafah crossing.

The spokesman warned that some parties are attempting to exploit the present circumstances to trouble the relationship with Egypt in order to serve the agenda of some circles in the PA leadership in Ramallah who did not like the opening of the Rafah crossing.

The spokesman said that strict instructions were issued to the Palestinian security apparatuses especially the national security apparatus to deal firmly with any individual or side trying to spoil the brotherly atmosphere between Gaza and Egypt.

 Mesha'al asks Arab FMs to back Egyptian border opening

[ 27/01/2008 - 11:10 AM ]

DAMASCUS, (PIC)--

Khaled Mesha'al, the political bureau chairman of Hamas Movement, has reached a number of Arab foreign ministers over the telephone prior to their Sunday meeting in Cairo urging them to support Egypt in its decision to open the Rafah terminal before Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

A Hamas statement said that Mesha'al asked the ministers to adopt a practical resolution opening the border crossing once and for all, and reiterated his appreciation of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's call for dialogue.

It noted that Mesha'al thanked Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Abul Ghait for his country's decision to open the borders before the besieged Palestinians in the Strip.

He regretted that a number of Egyptian soldiers were injured, describing the step as "unacceptable" and the result of "irresponsible individual acts".

For his part, Abul Ghait in a statement said that his government supported the Palestinian people and all attempts to alleviate their suffering.

He held Israel responsible for the deterioration of conditions in Gaza, and asked it to allow food and fuel supplies into Gaza to meet its obligations under international law.

The Egyptian chief diplomat revealed that Cairo would invite leaders of Hamas and the PA to hold separate talks with Egyptian officials to re-control the borders on the basis of the previous arrangements that were prevailing before Hamas's takeover of Gaza in June last year.