Israeli and Palestinian officials met on Thursday and agreed on a series of measures said to ease the daily live of Palestinians residents in the occupied territories.

Israel pledged to increase working hours at the Karni crossing in the Gaza Strip, and to ease entry of Palestinian workers into Israel .

The Israeli pledges came following a meeting in Tel Aviv between General Yosef Mishlav, Israeli coordinator of government activities in the occupied territories, and Mahmoud Dahlan
,
PA
Civil Affair Minister.

Also, the two sides are attempting to reach an agreement concerning the renewal of “summer vacation” visits which enables Palestinians living in Arab countries to visit their families in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

According to Israeli sources, Israel has recently handed the P.A detailed maps of civilian infrastructure of Gaza Strip and northern West Bank settlements slated for evacuation.

The maps include roads, electricity and water networks, and other infrastructure related info.

The US security coordinator to the Mideast General William Ward praised on Thursday the joint efforts Israel and the P.A are making to ensure what he described as “a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip without fire”, no reference was made to the repeated shelling the army conducts in the Gaza Strip, especially in Khan Younis and areas adjacent to military camps. 

The comments of Ward came during a visit to the West Bank city of Jericho
after meeting with Nassr Yousef, Palestinian Interior Minister.



Earlier on Friday, Israeli soldiers based at military camps surrounding Khan Younis fired rounds of live ammunition at dozens of homes in Khan Younis refugee camp.

Military planes were seen in Gaza
skies earlier on Friday, especially in the northern Gaza Strip which raised among the residents of possible shelling.

Ward also visited a P.A security forces training camp in
Jericho . 

Also, The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice is slated to arrive in the region on Friday for weekend talks with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The talks will mainly focus of the upcoming Israeli Talks will focus on Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

The US administration is trying to convince Sharon of more coordinate the pullout with the P.A, and at the same time is expected to blame Abbas for what the administration describes as failing to act against resistance groups, especially after stating that the US did not change its position regarding Hamas movement. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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