Palestinian government prevents Israeli products from entering the West Bank

The Palestinian government on Monday night decided to prevent Israeli fresh agricultural products and dairy products from entering the West Bank.

The director general of the trade department at the Palestinian government, Abdul Hafeez Noufel, said in a statement to Israel Radio on Tuesday that the "Palestinian decision came following the decision taken by the Israeli occupation authorities on Monday to prevent Palestinian lorries loaded with commodities from Gaza Strip to Israel." The Palestinian official said that all contacts between the two sides to settle pending problems in this respect were doomed to failure.

Israeli forces have closed the two crossings of Carnee and Erez in the Strip repeatedly to Palestinian trucks after the Palestinian side refused to pay heavy fees recently imposed by the Israeli authorities on these trucks, a matter which, according the Palestinian reported had an adverse impact on the Palestinian economy and the living conditions of the Gaza Strip's citizens.