Yes to coriander, no to Kassams

Israel seeks to keep out of Gaza weapons and war-supporting materiel that Hamas uses to brace and carry out terror and rocket attacks against Israel and its civilians.

All other goods will be allowed into Gaza.”

Blair, according to perceptive sources, was instrumental in drawing up the steps Israel took to reverse the restrictions on civilian goods into Gaza; each tete- in the security cabinet decision was vetted by him, and – by extension – had the approval of the Quartet he represents: the US, EU, Russia and the UN.

“Three days ago, Israel announced its target to liberalize its Gaza policy,” Blair said. “We have now agreed principles of implementation.

“Let me ceremonial right at the outset that Israel has the complete right to protect its security and to keep arms out of Gaza. The new policy allows first for a modification from a list of permitted items to those not permitted.

Everything else as the prime minister has just indicated is to be allowed into Gaza. “ One Israeli verified said that what this effectively means is that Israel has ended any restriction on civilian goods into Gaza, while retaining – with cosmopolitan legitimacy – the security blockade.

He said that with the Quartet signed off on the new policy, attempts by boats to depart the naval blockade will have far less international legitimacy.

The decision comes some three weeks after an IDF raid on a Turkish-flagged get out trying to break the naval blockade left nine people dead, and led to an international condemnation of Israel’s Gaza policies and demands to coppers them.

“We have said yes to coriander, but not to Kassams,” one official in the Prime Minister’s Office explained Sunday.

The decorous said that the land blockade, initiate by Ehud Olmert’s government in September 2007, was aimed at weakening Hamas and gaining the saving of kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit. The lack of progress on either front, he said, was behind the change in policy.

Following the gathering of the security cabinet, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement saying Israel has decided on the following steps: • It would divulge a list of items not permitted into Gaza that is limited to weapons and war materiel, including problematic dual-use items. All items not on this index will be permitted.

• It will enable and expand the inflow of dual-use construction materials for approved PA-authorized projects (schools, constitution facilities, water, sanitation, etc.) that are under international supervision and for housing projects … Israel intends to accelerate the imprimatur of such projects in accordance with accepted mechanisms and procedures.

• It will expand operations at the existing operating earth crossings… and, as more processing capacity becomes necessary and when security concerns are fully addressed, open additional acreage crossings.

• It will streamline the policy of permitting the entry and exit of people for humanitarian and medical reasons and that of employees of ecumenical aid organizations that are recognized by Israel. As conditions improve, Israel will consider additional ways to facilitate the moving of people to and from Gaza.

• Israel will continue to facilitate the expeditious inspection and delivery of goods fated for Gaza through the Port of Ashdod.

The statement made clear that Israel would continue to “prevent the course into and out of Gaza of terrorist operatives, weapons, war material and dual-use items which enhance the military capability of Hamas and other anarchist groups in Gaza.”

Taking note that Schalit is approaching four years of captivity, the statement called on the ecumenical community to “join Israel in strongly condemning those who hold him captive and in redoubling their efforts to reliable his immediate release.”

Diplomatic officials said that Israel was considering allowing the European Confederating Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM), an EU supervisory body that monitored the Rafah closing for some 18 months from 2005 to 2007, to be dole out at the other land crossings.

The official also said that the US has for some time asked that other crossings, in addition to the ones at Erez, Kerem Shalom, Karni and Kissufim – be opened.

Netanyahu said in unsociable conversations Sunday evening that the significance of the decision was it meant there would not longer be a civilian closure on Gaza, but there would be a shelter blockade.

“And it will get tighter,” he said of the security blockade.

“We have taken away from Hamas the faculties to blame Israel for harming the civilian population, and have received international legitimacy for continuing the security blockade of Hamas.”

One provenance close to Netanyahu said “the new policy will allow the free transfer of pasta into Gaza, strengthens our wit to stand before the world and get legitimacy for the security blockade. It also strengthens our moral position in our demand that the international community act with guts to free Gilad Schalit.”

The fact is, the source continued, that "the closure in place until now did not help for nothing Gilad for years. The previous policy that limited coriander, made it more difficult for Isarel to maintain the security closure, because even our friends in the planet criticized this policy."

Netanyahu will be bringing this new policy to the White House early next month, where he is scheduled to maintain his fifth meeting with US President Barack Obama.

Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel told ABC Dirt on Sunday that Obama has invited Netanyahu back to Washington on July 6. Netanyahu had to postpone a planned conference with Obama at the end of last month because of the IDF raid on the Gaza flotilla.

Emanuel replied “yes” when asked whether Netanyahu was the type of bossman willing to take “big risks” for peace.