Israel, Palestinians talk Gaza blockade

Israel: Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyard and Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak Monday discussed security issues and the Zionist blockade of Gaza after the announcement of an alleged easing of the policy.

Fayyad and Barak held the first talks at a hotel in Jerusalem between two top officials from Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) since the devastating military offensive against Gaza from December 2008 to January 2009.

According to sources close to the meeting, the agenda discussed improvements for the lives of Palestinians in Gaza, but did not address indirect talks between the two parts under US mediation.

The PNA spokesman, Ghassan Khatib, said the Palestinian head of state focused on the need to achieve the complete elimination of the naval and land siege of the Gaza Strip, controlled by the Islamist group Hamas since 2007.

In late June, Tel Aviv announced an alleged easing of the Gaza seige by increasing the list of products authorized to enter the country, but Hamas said the measure was insufficient and ambiguous, and has only modified the terms of the blockade.

Fayyad also demanded the end of Israeli aggression against the occupied West Bank, while Barak commented to journalists that they talked about the situation on the ground, security, and cooperation.

The talks took place a few hours before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to Washington to meet with US President Barak Obama about the the Middle East peace process, at a standstill since the aggression against Gaza. Jerusalem, Prensa Latina