Israeli Official says Lifting Gaza Blockage Poses Threat
VOA News 15 June 2010
A top Israeli security official says Israel would face a huge security threat if it lifted its blockade of Gaza.
Shin Bet security service chief Yuval Diskin says Gaza militants have about 5,000 rockets, some with a range of up to 40 kilometers. He says about 4,000 of those rockets belong to Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that seized control of Gaza in 2007.
Israeli officials say Diskin commented during a closed door parliamentary meeting Tuesday, a day after the European Union (EU) called on Israel to lift its Gaza blockade.
EU ministers described the blockade as "unacceptable and politically counterproductive." However, Middle East envoy Tony Blair said Israel had agreed in principal to ease restrictions on the flow of some goods into Gaza.
Israel has faced intense international pressure to end the blockade since Israeli commandos killed nine pro-Palestinian activists in a raid last month on an aid flotilla headed to Gaza.
Eight of the activists killed were Turkish citizens, while one was a U.S. citizen of Turkish origin.
Israeli defense industries have recalled their employees from Turkey because of security concerns. Officials say they are worried the employees could be targeted in retaliation for the raid.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
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