The Wall Street Journal-20080122-Politics - Economics- Israel to Lighten Squeeze on Gaza- Temporary Easing Allows Entry of Fuel and Supplies Amid Criticism of Blockade
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Politics & Economics: Israel to Lighten Squeeze on Gaza; Temporary Easing Allows Entry of Fuel and Supplies Amid Criticism of Blockade
JERUSALEM -- Under international pressure, Israeli officials said they would temporarily ease a blockade of the Gaza Strip by allowing fuel to flow to a power plant idled since Sunday. Many of the Palestinian territory's 1.5 million residents remained without electricity into last night.
Some food and medicine also will be allowed in, the officials said, as international organizations and humanitarian groups warned of the potential for catastrophe in the coming days.
Israeli officials said such worries were overblown and dismissed the current crisis as a publicity stunt orchestrated by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which holds power in the impoverished and densely populated Gaza Strip.
The move appeared likely to relieve some of the mounting tension about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. But Israeli defense officials made clear their opening would last only for today, while pledging to continue the lockdown for the foreseeable future.
While escalating controversy about Gaza brought international pressure on Israel, it might also pose a serious challenge to U.S.- backed peace talks promoted by President Bush in a visit here this month. Despite Hamas's control of Gaza, Mr. Bush has said he wants to see a final peace accord between Israelis and Palestinians by the end of this year.
Although Israel is conducting peace negotiations with Hamas's political rivals, the separate government of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank, there are growing calls for Palestinians to abandon the talks so long as Gaza remains closed. West Bank Palestinians have been watching satellite-news images of their Gaza brethren living by candlelight or lining up for bread, gasoline and batteries.
Mr. Abbas's cabinet met yesterday and issued a statement accusing Israel of trying to scuttle the peace process. The statement questioned the need to continue the talks.
On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he would close all crossings into Gaza, after two years of an already strict international boycott. The boycott was levied when Hamas won Palestinian elections in 2006, and it intensified when the group swept its rivals in Mr. Abbas's Fatah movement from Gaza in June 2007.
While there is global pressure on Mr. Barak's government to ease up, there is also a wave of domestic political pressure to press even harder. Though more than a week remains in January, this month has already seen more rocket and mortar fire into Israel from the strip than any other since Israeli forces and settlers withdrew from Gaza in 2005, according to official Israeli estimates.
In comments to his political party that were broadcast on Israeli radio yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appeared to lash out at both Hamas and Gaza residents. "We will not allow a humanitarian crisis, but we have no intention of making their life easier," Mr. Olmert said.
Comments such as those have fueled condemnations of Israel for allegedly engaging in collective punishment of all Gazans. Strong statements of concern or rebuke came from officials in Israeli human- rights groups, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, aid group Oxfam, the European Commission, and the governments of Egypt, Britain, France and others.
About 25% of Gaza's power is generated inside the enclave, while the rest is transmitted in from Israel and Egypt. Israel hasn't cut the external electricity supply, but did cease the fuel shipments for the internal generating station. The fuel ran out Sunday. Israel was expected to allow in about a one-week supply. Still, Israeli officials insisted Hamas could have provided power to the entire strip, rather than black out large swaths beginning Sunday night.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees said its own operations were being deeply affected by the closures.
