Liberman orders Gaza crossing to remain closed over border riot
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman orders that the Erez Pedestrian Crossing into the Gaza Strip remained closed for one week as punishment for the residents of the Palestinian enclave after a group of people rioted and vandalized the site earlier this week.
“After the vandalism incident we witnessed this past Tuesday, I have decided that the Erez Crossing will remain closed until next Thursday (September 13th). This is also how I will act if similar incidents happen in the future,” Liberman says in an Arabic-language Facebook post.
However, Erez likely would have been mostly closed for this period anyway, as the crossings into the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are typically shuttered during major Jewish holidays, like Rosh Hashanah, which begins on Sunday night and ends on Tuesday night.
Liberman posts his message on the “el-Munasek” Facebook page belonging to Israel’s military liaison to the Palestinians Maj. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon, known formally as the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.
“Residents of Gaza, I want to bring to your attention that we will not tolerate violence. Anyone who participates in terror needs to know that they are harming the livelihoods of the residents of Gaza. On the other hand, there will be economic returns if there is quiet on the security front,” he writes.
US envoy sees Golan ‘forever’ remaining under Israeli control
US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman expects the Golan Heights to remain under Israeli control “forever,” according to an excerpt released Thursday of an interview he gave to an Israeli newspaper.
Israel seized most of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1Six Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community.
“I cannot honestly imagine a situation in which the Golan Heights is not part of Israel forever,” Friedman tells Israel Hayom, which is set to publish the full interview on Friday.
“I cannot imagine a situation in which the Golan Heights is returned to Syria,” he adds.
“Giving up the high area of the Golan Heights may put Israel at great security disadvantage, and it is unnecessary to say that I cannot think of anyone more unworthy of receiving such a prize than Assad,” he says, referring to Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Friedman even mentions the possibility of the US officially recognizing the Golan as Israeli territory.
During a visit to Israel in August, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said there were no discussions on such recognition.
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