Israel Reopens Gaza Crossing for Food Aid

Trucks carrying food rolled into Gaza on Thursday after Israel reopened the strip’s main commercial crossing, which it had closed for more than two weeks because of what it said were security threats.

The United Nations warned last week that stocks of wheat, sugar and cooking oil were dwindling in Gaza and could begin to run out within days unless Israel reopened the Karni crossing.

“The decision to open the crossing was made despite existing security alerts and after both humanitarian and security aspects were all taken into consideration,” the Israeli army said in a statement.

Salim abu Safiya, Palestinian director of security at crossings with Israel, said Karni was reopened partially for food and medicine. Trucks were not allowed to leave the Gaza Strip for Israel yet, but should be able to beginning Sunday, he said.

“It is a step in the right direction but it is not enough. We need the crossing to open as normal and to be in full operation,” he said. “The opening will be only for five hours per day.”

Israel closed Karni from Jan. 15 to Feb. 5. It was closed again on Feb. 21 after an explosion in the area and had remained shut down because of “continued security alerts,” the army had said.

Israel has said the closure was not a response to the victory of militant group Hamas in January elections.

Israeli officials said they offered to reroute supplies through another crossing, a proposal the Palestinians rejected. The Palestinians say such closures are collective punishment.

Meanwhile, interim Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he planned to impose permanent Israeli borders by 2010 through pullouts from parts of the occupied West Bank, unless Hamas recognized the Jewish state and renounced violence.

In one of two interviews published Thursday ahead of elections March 28, Olmert said the controversial barrier Israel is building in the West Bank would largely follow the final borders. His Kadima party is expected to win the vote.