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Sunday, 17 April 2011 17:32
Sources told Quds Net website that Arabi asked his deputies to set preparations for visiting Gaza soon.
CAIRO – In a major change in Egypt’s policies on the Gaza Strip after the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil El-Arabi is planning to visit the blockaded seaside enclave soon.
"We welcome the visit of the Egyptian FM and prominent figures to the Gaza Strip," Yousef Rizka, political adviser to Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh, said in a statement cited by Maan News on Sunday, April 17.
Sources told Quds Net website that Arabi asked his deputies to set preparations for visiting Gaza soon.
The visit aims to show Egypt’s solidarity with Gaza, which has been under a crippling Israeli siege since 2006.
"This visit is considered a beginning of a new era for Palestine and its people and a strong step toward easing the political blockade of Gaza," said Rizka.
Israel has clamped a severe blockade on Gaza since Hamas was voted to power in Gaza in 2006 and the capture of an Israeli soldier by Hamas in a cross-border raid.
The siege was further tightened after Hamas assumed full control of the strip in 2007.
The crippling siege has badly worsened livelihood in the impoverished seaside strip, home to 1.6 million Palestinians.
The situation further deteriorated after Israel launched a three-week deadly offensive in 2009, killing more than 1,400 people and injured thousands and left the strip in tatters.
The siege leaves most of Gazans cut off from the outside world and struggling with desperate poverty.
Gaza Crossings
Arabi’s visit comes a day after reports said that Egypt was planning to open Gaza crossings.
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), said that Arabi told him that Egypt will open Gaza crossings for humanitarian consideration.
"We used to cooperate with the former Egyptian government to deliver aid to Gaza, yet when the crossings are opened, there shall be more cooperation," Ihsanoglu said after a meeting with Arabi on Saturday.
Under Mubarak’s regime, Egypt was complicit in tightening the siege on Gaza by refusing to open up the Rafah terminal, Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world that surpasses Israel.
Mubarak was Israel's best friend in the Arab world for 30 years, far friendlier than the masses in his country.
Early this month, Egypt’s foreign minister said that Mubarak was a treasure for Israel to do what it wishes but it's no longer the same.
Arabi also reiterated a possible revision of the Camp David peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.
His statements have raised worries inside Israel.
"I am very concerned over some of the voices we've been hearing from Egypt recently," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told European Union ambassadors last week, Haaretz reported.
"I'm especially concerned over the current Egyptian foreign minister's statements."
"We welcome the visit of the Egyptian FM and prominent figures to the Gaza Strip," Yousef Rizka, political adviser to Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh, said in a statement cited by Maan News on Sunday, April 17.
Sources told Quds Net website that Arabi asked his deputies to set preparations for visiting Gaza soon.
The visit aims to show Egypt’s solidarity with Gaza, which has been under a crippling Israeli siege since 2006.
"This visit is considered a beginning of a new era for Palestine and its people and a strong step toward easing the political blockade of Gaza," said Rizka.
Israel has clamped a severe blockade on Gaza since Hamas was voted to power in Gaza in 2006 and the capture of an Israeli soldier by Hamas in a cross-border raid.
The siege was further tightened after Hamas assumed full control of the strip in 2007.
The crippling siege has badly worsened livelihood in the impoverished seaside strip, home to 1.6 million Palestinians.
The situation further deteriorated after Israel launched a three-week deadly offensive in 2009, killing more than 1,400 people and injured thousands and left the strip in tatters.
The siege leaves most of Gazans cut off from the outside world and struggling with desperate poverty.
Gaza Crossings
Arabi’s visit comes a day after reports said that Egypt was planning to open Gaza crossings.
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), said that Arabi told him that Egypt will open Gaza crossings for humanitarian consideration.
"We used to cooperate with the former Egyptian government to deliver aid to Gaza, yet when the crossings are opened, there shall be more cooperation," Ihsanoglu said after a meeting with Arabi on Saturday.
Under Mubarak’s regime, Egypt was complicit in tightening the siege on Gaza by refusing to open up the Rafah terminal, Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world that surpasses Israel.
Mubarak was Israel's best friend in the Arab world for 30 years, far friendlier than the masses in his country.
Early this month, Egypt’s foreign minister said that Mubarak was a treasure for Israel to do what it wishes but it's no longer the same.
Arabi also reiterated a possible revision of the Camp David peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.
His statements have raised worries inside Israel.
"I am very concerned over some of the voices we've been hearing from Egypt recently," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told European Union ambassadors last week, Haaretz reported.
"I'm especially concerned over the current Egyptian foreign minister's statements."
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