OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (PIC)– Five years after Israel’s unilateral disengagement from Gaza Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman has proposed a new plan aimed at ridding Israel of any responsibility for the coastal enclave the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Friday.
According to the FM’s plan Gaza with European assistance will become an entirely independent entity. In this way Lieberman believes the world will finally recognize the end of the Israeli occupation there.
A confidential document sent by Lieberman recently states that “we must discreetly approach the US UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and renowned international law experts to examine their terms for international recognition of an end to the occupation.”
The FM plans to present his plan to Catherine Ashton the European Union commissioner for foreign affairs during her scheduled visit to Israel next week. Ashton will be accompanied by six European foreign ministers.
Lieberman is expected to ask his European counterparts to propose that Hamas construct a new power plant to generate electricity a seawater desalination plant and a wastewater purification plant.
Furthermore Lieberman will propose that the Europeans send an international military force to the Israel-Gaza border crossings to enforce any agreement reached.
Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri a Hamas spokesman categorically rejected the project in a statement to the PIC on Friday adding that it reflected an Israeli attempt to evade its responsibility as an occupying power.
Gaza is part and parcel of occupied Palestine and the Israeli occupation should not be allowed to evade its legal responsibility as long as it continued to occupy Palestinian territory he elaborated.
The spokesman said that the project should not be linked to lifting the siege on Gaza adding that the blockade is an international crime that should come to an end according to the international law.
Abu Zuhri said that all needs of the Gaza Strip should be provided in order to secure a dignified life for its citizens adding that this could only happen with the full opening of all crossings roads and ports and supplying Gaza with electricity and fuel.
Any Israeli attempt to gain a political price in return for a commitment to lift the siege would end up in failure the spokesman concluded.
