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In concession, Israel eases restrictions on Gaza
JERUSALEM — In a major concession to Gaza’s Hamas leaders Monday, Israel dropped its five-year ban on construction materials crossing into the territory and raised hopes there that rebuilding could begin following a damaging eight-day Israeli air campaign.
The easing of restrictions is an outgrowth of the cease-fire that ended the airstrikes and months of daily rocket fire from Gaza at Israel. Contacts mediated by Egypt to follow up the truce produced the concession, and Israel promised to keep easing the lives of Gaza’s 1.6 million residents, as long as Israelis were no longer targeted by rocket fire by Gaza militants.
How long the new arrangement holds could serve as a test case for the brittle truce between the bitter enemies. It also reflects a new power equation, with neighboring Egypt under the control of the Muslim Brotherhood, the parent group of Hamas.
Israel, together with Egypt, imposed a land and naval embargo on Gaza after Hamas violently overtook the territory in 2007. Although Israel eased the restrictions in 2010, building materials such as cement, gravel and metal rods were still largely banned because Israel claimed militants could use them to make fortifications and weapons.
Hundreds of smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border gave Gaza a conduit for all manner of goods as well as weapons, though the blockade remained intact.
Discussion | 1 comment
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Billie MilneJanuary 01, 2013 - 1:28 pm
Hi, My husband John Milne ran the 2012 Turkey Trot. He is 81 years old and was interviewed by a reporter. Do you have a copy of that part of the sports page with his name in the paper. If so , would it be possible either send it by e-mail,or a copy in the mail. Our address is 700 Monterey St Vallejo, Calif 94590. Thanks Hoping to hear back from you with that info. Billie Milne(John's wife)
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