By Xinhua
Gaza : The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), which took over the Gaza Strip by force last June, reiterated on Tuesday that Rafah border passage with Egypt must reopen “as soon as possible”.
Salah al-Bardaweel, spokesman for Hamas lawmakers, made the remarks one day ahead of planned Hamas-Egypt talks on crossings for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Egypt will host separate talks with Hamas leaders and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah movement and his representatives of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).
The Hamas-Egypt discussions must focus on reopening Rafah crossing “as soon as possible” without a third party, denouncing that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas “chose to sit down with Israel instead of Hamas.”
Hamas will discuss with Egypt “Abbas’ insistence not to talk with Hamas,” said al-Bardaweel.
He stressed that “the crossing must express the Egyptian and the Palestinian sovereignty without any third party”
The only passage for Palestinian travelers was opened from November 2005 until June 2006 according to a U.S.-brokered deal which stipulates the presence of European Union monitors as a third party.
The monitors as well as the Palestinian security forces loyal to President Abbas left the crossing last June when Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip and routed pro-Abbas security services. Since then, Israel sealed off all crossings.
Last Wednesday, Hamas militants blew up the borders between Gaza and Egypt, allowing residents to cross into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsular unchecked and bring goods that have missing due to the siege.
The Egyptian forces on Tuesday started to impose its control and closing the breaches.