Gaza: Israel Rejects Another High-Level Visit

Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon has denied Belgian International Development Minister Charles Michel's request to visit the Gaza Strip. Ayalon told the Belgian minister that Israel could not authorize the request, as official visits to the Strip are interpreted as giving legitimacy to Hamas.

In response to Ayalon's rejection, Michel said, "It's not normal that access to Gaza is denied to a minister whose country is funding projects there."

Israel: Defense Minister Barak “Palestine Peace Bigger Issue Than Iran’s Bomb”
Israel: Netanyahu’s “War on Evil”
Palestine: Conflicting Statements from Hamas on Israel’s Right to Exist