Post by ۞Quaalude™۞ on Sept 19, 2007 11:18:28 GMT -5
The Israeli government has declared the Gaza Strip a "hostile entity" in response to the continued rocket attacks by Palestinian militants there.
Israeli officials told the BBC fuel and electricity supplies could be targeted, but not water, food or medicine.
The militant group, Hamas, which controls Gaza, said such a move would be considered a declaration of war.
In Jerusalem, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also said the US considered Hamas a "hostile entity".
But she added that the US "would not abandon the innocent Palestinians" of Gaza.
Ms Rice arrived in Jerusalem on Wednesday for talks about re-starting the Middle East peace process.
Israeli public pressure for retaliation has grown since a rocket fired from Gaza hit an army base last Tuesday, injuring 69 troops.
Palestinian militant groups say the rocket fire is a response to Israeli military action in Gaza and the West Bank.
International law
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said his security cabinet had approved the "hostile entity" classification at a meeting on Wednesday morning. Additional restrictions will be imposed on the Hamas regime, limiting the transfer of goods to the Gaza Strip, cutting back fuel and electricity, and restricting the movement of people to and from the strip," a statement said.
The sanctions will be implemented "following a legal review" to examine the legal and humanitarian consequences, the statement added.
Israeli officials reportedly hope the new measures will put pressure on Hamas, which ousted its rivals Fatah to seize control of Gaza in June, to halt rocket attacks on southern Israel.
"The objective is to weaken Hamas," Defence Minister Ehud Barak said at the meeting, an Israeli official told the Associated Press news agency. QC More :
What do you Think of This Mess ?
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7002576.stm
Israeli officials told the BBC fuel and electricity supplies could be targeted, but not water, food or medicine.
The militant group, Hamas, which controls Gaza, said such a move would be considered a declaration of war.
In Jerusalem, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also said the US considered Hamas a "hostile entity".
But she added that the US "would not abandon the innocent Palestinians" of Gaza.
Ms Rice arrived in Jerusalem on Wednesday for talks about re-starting the Middle East peace process.
Israeli public pressure for retaliation has grown since a rocket fired from Gaza hit an army base last Tuesday, injuring 69 troops.
Palestinian militant groups say the rocket fire is a response to Israeli military action in Gaza and the West Bank.
International law
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said his security cabinet had approved the "hostile entity" classification at a meeting on Wednesday morning. Additional restrictions will be imposed on the Hamas regime, limiting the transfer of goods to the Gaza Strip, cutting back fuel and electricity, and restricting the movement of people to and from the strip," a statement said.
The sanctions will be implemented "following a legal review" to examine the legal and humanitarian consequences, the statement added.
Israeli officials reportedly hope the new measures will put pressure on Hamas, which ousted its rivals Fatah to seize control of Gaza in June, to halt rocket attacks on southern Israel.
"The objective is to weaken Hamas," Defence Minister Ehud Barak said at the meeting, an Israeli official told the Associated Press news agency. QC More :
What do you Think of This Mess ?
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7002576.stm