Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday that an Israeli-Palestinian deal on reopening the Gaza-Egypt border is imminent, following talks with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
”We have discussed issues relevant to the Gaza Strip in order to avoid transforming the Gaza Strip into a big prison, and we spoke of the necessity of opening the Rafah crossing point,” Abbas told a news conference.
”We are on the verge of reaching an agreement on this issue,” he said, flanked by Rice after talks in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
”The agreement is close. It will be implemented soon,” he added, speaking about the terminal that has remained largely closed since before Israel’s historic pull-out from the Gaza Strip, completed on September 12.
Speaking about the Rafah issue, Rice told the news conference: ”I believe with some will and creativity, an agreement … should be within sight.”
Moments before the news conference began, Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan said an agreement had already been reached.
”We have reached an agreement on the subject of reopening and operating the Rafah terminal,” he said.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said the Palestinians accepted a compromise solution put forward by special international envoy James Wolfensohn.
”The Americans are now waiting for Israel’s agreement,” he said. — Sapa-AFP