Israel has today tightened its blockade on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, two days before US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell makes his first visit to the region.
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President George Bush
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The army set up a new checkpoint which effectively divides the Gaza Strip in half after Palestinian militants blew up two bombs, injuring a soldier, when troops opened two major roads, a witness said.
The checkpoint was set up 150 metres (yards) into a Palestinian-controlled area. The roadblock was bolstered by two tanks and two jeeps and was situated near the Jewish settlement of Netzarim, a Reuters correspondent said.
Israel has said security needs prompted it to seal off the West Bank and Gaza Strip, home to three million Palestinians, at the start of an uprising in late September. Palestinians assail the blockade as collective punishment.
Mr Powell is expected on his brief weekend visit to demand Israel ease sanctions in order to prevent a total collapse of the Palestinian economy which has lostbillions of dollars as a result of the closure.
But a US State Department spokesman said the next steps in tackling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were likely to be put on hold until Israeli Prime Minister-elect Mr Ariel Sharon’s government was formed.
Mr Sharon said in a speech in Jerusalem last night that he wanted to shift the focus in Israel's relations with the United States. He told the Conference of Presidents of leading Jewish groups in the United States that the peace process had got in the way of relations with Washington.
Mr Sharon favours an interim peace agreement with the Palestinians as opposed tocaretaker Premier Ehud Barak who had sought an immediate final agreement.