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EU Diplomat Calls for Opening Gaza Crossings

   VOA News 18 July 2010
   EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, left, talks to a Palestinian
   chemist  at a pharmaceutical company lab in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza
   Strip, 18 Jul 2010

Photo: AP

   European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, left, talks to a
   Palestinian  chemist  at  a pharmaceutical company lab in Beit Hanoun,
   northern Gaza Strip, 18 Jul 2010

   The  European  Union's  top  diplomat is calling for further easing of
   Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

   EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton told reporters Sunday in Gaza
   there  needs  to be an opening of border crossings to allow people and
   goods to flow in both directions.

   Ashton  said  the  EU  is willing to send monitors to help operate the
   border crossings.

   Ashton  is the most senior Western diplomat to visit Gaza since Israel
   eased  its  three-year-old  land  blockade on the Palestinian enclave.
   Israel  has  said  the  blockade  is necessary to prevent the Islamist
   Hamas movement, which rules Gaza, from shipping in weapons.

   Israel has taken steps to ease the blockade following a May 31 raid on
   ships  loaded  with aid for Gaza. Israeli commandos killed nine, eight
   Turkish  and  one  Turkish-American,  pro-Palestinian  activists after
   boarding one of the convoy's vessels.

   Ashton meets Monday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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