Nearby settlement of Egypt - Gaza border crossing

An official in the office of the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon said that the Israeli and Palestinian sides might reach a settlement in the few coming days over monitoring the transfer of goods and people via crossings located between Egypt and Gaza, after the Israeli withdrawal.

The anonymous official said that negotiations between the two sides achieved progress in recent days.

However, the Israeli official stressed that Israel will not give any concession over the ability to monitor the transfer of goods, noting that Israel wants to make sure that no weapons or explosives will enter to Gaza, hidden in trucks and containers.

He explained that monitoring of goods might be made on a crossing built inside Israel in Kabreim Shalom on the border between Egypt and Gaza. Israeli press sources said that the Israeli monitoring operation might last half a year.

On the other hand, the Israeli official did not rule out Israel to agree to continued passage of passengers coming from Egypt via Rafah in Southern Gaza without being subjected to any Israeli inspection, noting one Israeli proposal states to deploy American or European or Japanese experts to inspect the entry of persons to Gaza.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Oreikat on Sunday evening proposed a settlement formula for a third party in Rafah, being a European, America and Japanese, to supervise the entry or departure of persons ( between Egypt and Gaza) and goods to be transferred via Kabreim Shalom

Oreikat told the Israeli radio on Sunday evening that the proposed formula concerning crossing areas on the borders with Egypt might work for a while.

The Palestinian minister for prisoners affairs Sufian Abu Zaydeh told the Israeli radio that the Palestinians realize the needs for the Israeli security, but they cannot accept to be forced after withdrawal to be subjected to the Israelis upon their entry or departure.