Mar 9th, 4:59pm
Israel said Tuesday it will allow U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and a top European Union official to enter the blockaded Gaza Strip from Israel.
The decision to grant access to Ban and Catherine Ashton, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, marks a departure in Israel, which rarely allows entry to Gaza from Israel, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported.
Israel has decided to facilitate their entry to the Gaza Strip in order to allow them to get a first-hand impression of humanitarian activities taking place in that area,
Israel's Foreign Ministry said.
Neither Ban nor Ashton plans to meet with Hamas officials, The Jerusalem Post said.
Ashton is to visit the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Syria and Jordan, while Ban will tour the region and attend the Arab League summit, JTA said.
U.N. officials say they're worried about the impasse in negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is in Israel, visiting President Shimon Peres and others to try to pave the way for a new round of Israeli-Palestinian talks.
Israel shut down its border with Gaza in 2007 after Hamas seized control of the strip.
