Israel turned down a request by Catherine Margaret Ashton, the High Representative of the European Union, to visit the Gaza Strip during her one week tour of the Middle East, Israeli media reported.
They quoted political sources as saying that Tel Aviv has decided against granting the permission to Ashton to visit Gaza in mid March.
The sources said that Israel usually refuses such requests fearing that it might be explained as recognition of the “Hamas government”, adding that Ashton could visit Gaza via Rafah crossing.
Ashton said that she wished to visit Gaza to get first hand information on the conditions in the Strip one year after the Israeli war.
Irish foreign minister Michael Martin had called on EU foreign ministers to visit Gaza to get acquainted with the tragic conditions in the Strip, which he visited last week.
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(Submitted by Ingrid B. Mork)