Israel wants to build new terminal for Palestinians entering Gaza

Tel Aviv (dpa) – Israel wants to withdraw from a narrow security zone on the Gaza-Egypt border next month, but it wants to continue controlling Palestinian movement into the Strip by building a new border terminal in Israeli territory, Israel Radio reported Friday.

The new border terminal would be built within weeks near Kerem Shalom, a kibbutz (agricultural commune) just east of the southern Gaza Strip.

Palestinian traffic from the Gaza Strip into Egypt would continue through the existing Gaza Strip terminal of Rafah and would not be controlled by Israel, the radio said.

Israel wants to maintain control over incoming goods and people for at least an interim period. It fears that if militants smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip which have thus far not been used in the fighting with Israel, this could seriously escalate the conflict. These could include missiles with a longer range than the Kassam rockets produced locally in Gaza by the radical Hamas movement.

Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz presented the proposal late Thursday to Premier Ariel Sharon, who is to bring it before his cabinet Sunday. dpa ok