UN chief: Open Gaza crossings

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged Israel to open all border crossing points into the Gaza Strip to prevent a collapse of the economy in the Hamas-controlled Palestinian territory. New figures provided by the World Bank Thursday said 3,190 businesses were closed in the last month alone, leaving more than 65,000 people unemployed. Israel has closed the Karni commercial crossing, Gaza's economic lifeline, in an effort to isolate Hamas after it seized control of the Gaza Strip a month ago. "If what is left of Gaza's economy is allowed to collapse, poverty levels already affecting two-thirds of households will rise further, and the people of Gaza will become near totally aid dependent," Ban said in a statement.

And: "Israel was ready to cease attempts to catch Fatah-affiliated fugitives in the West Bank if they would prove that they were ready to cease all terror activity against it, Israel Radio quted a report by Ma'an, a Palestinian news Agency. Reportedly, Israel had set up a list of 178 Palestinian fugitives from the West Bank, and decided that if they would prove that they had ceased terrorist actions, would no longer be sought by Israeli security forces. Al Aksa Martyrs' Brigades Jenin chief Zakahriya Zubeidi was reported by Israel to be one of the names on the list." Und noch ein kurzer Vorbericht vor den Verhandlungen in Paris.