Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog says, “It is time to end the closure in its current form. It does not provide any value to Israel. From a diplomatic standpoint it causes great image problems.” A week from now, an ship should leave Iran, bound for Gaza with aid.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Israel is looking at ways of easing the Gaza blockade, a cabinet minister said, calling the current policy counterproductive. This confirms remarks by Middle East special envoy Tony Blair that a change is likely.

"It is time to end the closure in its current form,” Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog told Israel Radio.

“It does not provide any value to Israel. From a diplomatic standpoint it causes great image problems".

Israel, he said, has informed Blair, who briefed EU foreign ministers on Monday, that it intends to "permit an easier passage of goods" into the Gaza Strip.

A raid by the Israeli Navy on 31 May against a Turkish ship carrying aid to Gaza has mobilised the international community in a campaign against Israel to ease or stop its policy of isolating the Strip.

Israel imposed a blockade against the Palestinian territory following its takeover by Hamas after a brief war against its main Palestinian rival, Fatah.

In the next few days, an Iranian ship full of suppliers for Gaza is expected to leave the Iranian port of Khorramshahr.

Tehran’s action could escalate tensions in the region, undermining diplomatic efforts at removing the blockade.

According to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency, the ship will sail through the territorial waters of Oman, Yemen and Egypt before it reaches Gaza, with on board only humanitarian aid, no peace activists.

• israel
• iran
• gaza
• strip
• aid
• blockade
• human
• rights