GAZA CITY: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday ordered the army to close all crossing points with the Gaza Strip, shortly after Palestinians fired homemade rockets into Israel from Gaza. The Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, said the four rockets were fired in retaliation for the Monday night killing of one of its members in the West Bank.
The closure came just one day after Israel opened cargo crossings into the Gaza Strip to allow shipment of food and fuel supplies. Hamas, which rules the strip, announced yesterday that it would not extend a truce with Israel that is set to expire Friday.
During a meeting with Olmert in London, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told the Israeli leader to lift the Gaza siege. Israel is restricting cash shipments to Gaza banks. The tactic is aimed at weakening Hamas.
Brown said the stance was damaging the wider Palestinian economy and harming prospects for peace. Brown met with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Monday. Cash shipments to Gaza are used by Fayyad to pay government employees loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
In another development, an Israeli military court sentenced the speaker of the Palestinian Parliament to 36 months in prison for belonging to Hamas. Abdel Aziz Duaik was arrested by Israel in August 2006. The court said he has served 28 1/2 months of his sentence and will be released after another 7 1/2 months.
<>— With input from agencies
