Palestinian minister of information Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi stated on Sunday that the Israeli Authorities have been barring him from entering the Gaza Strip Strip since the formation of the Palestinian National Government several months ago.
The minister added that the army refuses to give him the needed permit to get to the Gaza Strip like other Palestinian ministers.
Dr. Al Barghouthi added that this action is part of the Israel's efforts to obstruct the work of the Palestinian National Unity Government
Since the beginning of the second Palestinian Intifada (uprising) late September 2000, Israeli Authorities canceled the VIP passes of all Palestinian officials and forced them to apply for permissions from the army to get out side Palestinian areas or when they travel to the Gaza strip.
In 2005, Israel evacuated all of the settlements in the Gaza strip in a plan that was known and the unilateral disengagement plan, shortly after that the Israeli army sealed off the Gaza strip and forced Palestinians and internationals who want to get in the Gaza strip to apply for permissions from the army. Under
Although the Gaza Strip is not under Israeli military control, Israel still have the power to isolate it and close the its borders.
The Israeli army repatdly shelled the Gaza Strip after the withdrawal, and carried what was described as limited operations in the Gaza Strip; these operations included limited invasions and even assasinations and abductions of fighters.
Translated by Ghassan Bannoura
