http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/164399
Gaza's Hamas rulers constantly claim that the region is under an "Israeli siege", but continue to host leaders of Arab countries.
By Elad Benari
First Publish: 1/21/2013, 4:12 AM
Gaza's Hamas terrorist rulers constantly claim that the region is under an "Israeli siege", but are continuing to host leaders of Arab countries.
The latest to schedule a visit is Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki, who will make his first visit to Gaza on February 9, according to officials from the Hamas government who spoke to AFP on Sunday.
"Tunisia President Marzouki will carryout a very important visit to the Gaza Strip on February 9," Hamas official Ghazi Hammad told the news agency, without giving details of the president's itinerary, or who would be accompanying him.
"This important visit will boost Arab solidarity with the Palestinian cause," Hammad added, saying that "this solidarity must be used to achieve Palestinian national reconciliation."
Marzouki's visit will be the latest in a string of high-profile trips to Gaza by Arab and Muslim leaders. In October, the emir of oil-rich Qatar visited Hamas-controlled Gaza, bringing with him money for its Hamas government.
His visit was the first by a foreign leader to Gaza since Hamas overthrew Fatah in a bloody militia war in 2007.
During last November's Operation Pillar of Defense in Gaza, a delegation of Arab foreign ministers, along with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, visited Gaza.
Also during Pillar of Defense, Egypt's Prime Minister Hisham Qandil visited the coastal enclave.
As well, according to a Sunday report in the PA's Wafa news agency, Malaysia's Prime Minister, Najib Razak, is scheduled to spend few hours in Gaza on Tuesday.
Sources in Gaza told the news agency that Razak, who will be accompanied by his wife and an official delegation including his foreign minister, will visit terror sites that were destroyed by Israeli air attacks during Pillar of Defense and inaugurate projects.
Meanwhile on Sunday, Hamas's de-facto Prime Minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, called on the PA leadership living abroad to visit Gaza in order to demonstrate "the adherence to the fundamental Palestinian rights and principles."
Haniyeh made the comments during a meeting with Osama Hamdan, a member of Hamas's political bureau, who arrived in Gaza on Sunday. He said that the ongoing visits to Gaza by Arab leaders demonstrate the victory over Israel and the national unity between Arabs living abroad and in "Palestine."
Hamas Tries to Limit Israeli Imports into Gaza
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/164324
Hamas bans certain types of Israeli goods into Gaza. Israel nevertheless continues supplying goods.
By Elad Benari
First Publish: 1/18/2013, 12:16 AM
Hamas is once again trying to punish the residents of Gaza by attempting to reduce the scope of Israeli goods entering the region.
Hamas' Ministry of Economics announced this week its decision to ban the import of certain types of goods into Gaza through the Israeli crossings. These include office furniture, various types of foods, hygiene products, gas pipes, plastic,plastic bags and clothing.
The local population in Gaza expressed its dissatisfaction with the decision, especially since the Israeli products that enter Gaza are considered to be of much higher quality than the goods that are smuggled into Gaza from Egypt, through the tunnels in the Rafiah area.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (COGAT) noted that this is part of an ongoing Hamas policy, which seeks to reduce imports from Israel and other external markets without analyzing the serious impact such decisions would have on the public and the population in Gaza.
Nevertheless, COGAT noted, on Wednesday 218 truckloads containing a variety of goods and 175 tons of gas were delivered into Gaza.
The trucks were delivered through the Kerem Shalom Crossing under the coordination of the Coordination and Liaison Administration in Gaza.
In addition, noted COGAT, 301 tons of strawberries, and 52,000 flowers units were exported from Gaza this week. The export was coordinated by the Gaza Coordination and Liaison Administration through the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Israel continuously allows humanitarian aid into Gaza, despite Hamas's claims that there is a "siege" on the region. Israeli has approved internationally funded and monitored projects in Gaza. Since 2011, 235 projects have been approved. In September 2012 alone, 16 new projects were approved.
Israel has also supported the private sector in Gaza, and has approved the transfer of raw materials for private sector construction, including roof tiles, building stones, dry wall, mosaics, adhesives, plaster, etc.
In addition to all of the above, the communication channels between Israel and the PA's Ministry of Health have been maintained in recent years, despite Hamas' violent takeover of Gaza in 2007. As part of this communication Israeli doctors have more than once helped save the lives of PA Arabs from Gaza who came to receive treatment in Israeli hospitals.
Angry at the PA-Israel cooperation, Hamas has prevented the transfer of Gaza patients to hospitals in Israel.
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