Defense weighing response to U.S. insistence on Gaza openings

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The remarks from U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday condemning the ongoing closure of the Gaza Strip were not received with particular surprise within the Israeli defense establishment.

Similar criticism has been aired in recent months by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Mideast envoy George Mitchell and Senator John Kerry. Following the Americans' blasting of Israel's policy of preventing grains from entering Gaza on the grounds that they were non-essential goods, the defense apparatus has somewhat eased restrictions on bringing foodstuffs into the territory.

Nonetheless, most goods are still barred from Gaza, as part of sanctions Israel has adopted in response to Hamas' refusal to compromise on which of its prisoners it wants released in exchange for captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

Israeli officials had assumed that the easing of U.S. pressure regarding the closure was merely temporary. The fact that Hamas has reined in rocket fire on the western Negev in recent weeks (yesterday's rocket on Sderot seems to be the work of a smaller Palestinian faction) is also expected to help Palestinian efforts at "marketing" their position to the international community.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1086830.html