Israel denies PLO official entry to Gaza Strip

Israel denied the Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative, and member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation Mustafa Barghouti entry to the Gaza Strip through the Beit Hanoun-Erez crossing, a senior PLO official reported.

PLO Executive Committee member Jamil Shehadeh said: “Israeli forces refused to grant Barghouti, who is travelling as a member of the reconciliation delegation, a permit to enter the Gaza Strip via the Erez crossing.”

Shehadeh pointed out that the delegation is determined to enter the Gaza Strip saying that “if Israel insisted on refusing to allow any delegation member to enter Gaza, we will go to Egypt and enter via the Rafah crossing.”