GAZA (PIC)– The PA caretaker government of premier Ismail Haneyya has declared its readiness to deliver responsibility of the Gaza crossings to any neutral party agreed upon by all in order to solve the problem of their continued closure.
Alaa Al-Araj the economic advisor to Haneyya said in a press statement on Wednesday that the government has no objection in this regard adding that its veto is only against the corrupt persons who were involved in national or ethical problems.
Press reports recently said that the illegal government of Salam Fayyad in Ramallah was planning to take control of the crossings with American EU and the quartet committee’s approval in order to reopen them.
Araj said that his government did not know of the details of that plan or the administration that would take control of the crossings.
However he noted that Holland had recently tabled an initiative to open those crossings which was accepted by the Haneyya government but did not materialize because of Zionist and Fayyad government’s opposition.
The advisor said that his government was keen on opening those crossings in order to alleviate suffering of the Gaza inhabitants and to reactivate “the wheel of economy” in the Strip which he said would save thousands of factories that closed down and return tens of thousands of workers to their jobs.
The national interest should be a priority and the PA leadership has to realize that Palestinian partners should be involved in running those crossings Araj said adding that customs financial health and agriculture officials should be involved in the issue in addition to policemen to maintain security.
For its part the Nasser Salahuddin Brigades the armed wing of the popular resistance committees called on Egypt to open the Rafah crossing and to directly deal with the legally elected premier Ismail Haneyya away from Zionist threats.
Abu Abir one of the armed wing’s leaders told a press conference in Gaza on Tuesday that many Palestinians were very ill and in dire need of treatment abroad. “Open the borders before them and allow the return of more than 1700 Palestinians stranded at the Egyptian side of the borders” he added.
He also urged the Arab and Islamic countries to wake up and rush to aid the Palestinian people and the holy Aqsa Mosque.
Abu Abir asserted that his armed wing would not accept a free calm with the IOF but rather it should be reciprocal and cover both the West Bank and Gaza.
