By Xinhua
Ramallah : The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is close to get an Israeli approval to run Gaza crossing points after almost half year of closure due to Hamas takeover of the coastal enclave Gaza Strip, a senior PNA official said Monday.
“I think the PNA is very close to get the Israeli approval… the issue is subject to intensifying the pressure on the Israeli side,” Riyadh al-Maliki, Information Minister at the acting Palestinian government based in the West Bank, told reporters in Ramallah.
In June, Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip after fighting against security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah.
Afterwards, Israel closed all the crossings in Gaza due to the absence of the pro-Abbas forces which used to take control of security at their side of the crossings.
“If we got the approval, this means we can directly and quickly intervene to lift the siege on the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip and try to restore the things to the previous condition,” al-Maliki said.
The deposed Hamas government, which still rules the Gaza Strip, refused to comment on al-Maliki statements. “We can’t comment as long as the plan of restoring the crossings’ control is not presented to us,” spokesman Taher al-Nounou said.
“If this issue was put before us, we would carefully study it to secure the opening of the terminals,” al-Nounou added.