Middle East

Israel orders immediate halt to Gaza fuel deliveries

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Friday ordered an “immediate” halt to deliveries of fuel to the Gaza Strip after violent clashes with Palestinians on the Gaza-Israel border.

“Following the serious incidents in the Gaza Strip, the defense ministry orders the immediate halt to the delivery of fuel” to the area, he said in a statement.

Diesel fuel funded by Qatar and had been transferred this week from Israel into power plants in Gaza.

The Palestinian Authority, run by Fatah in the West Bank, accused Qatar of defying the Palestinian government by paying for the diesel fuel needed to keep power plants in Gaza running.

Top Palestinian official and member of Fatah, Ahmad Majdalani, said the party remains suspicious of the Qatari role in meddling in the affairs of the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas.

Qatar has defied the government in Ramallah by sending trucks of fuel to Gaza, he said in statements to the Palestinian News Agency.

He said Dohas move, which happened without the consent of the legitimate Palestinian government, comes in the form of an “indirect funding to encourage Hamas” on its position in rejecting reconciliation efforts.

With AFP

SHOW MORE

Last Update: Friday, 12 October 2018 KSA 21:44 – GMT 18:44

Related Articles

Middle East

Israel PM ‘flew to Saudi Arabia for secret talks with crown prince’

bbc– Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly flew to Saudi Arabia on...

Middle East

Lebanon’s unfinished revolution: One year after protests, change has yet to come

Issued on: 21/10/2020 – 12:18Modified: 21/10/2020 – 14:28 It's been one year...

Middle East

Israel lauds UAE delegation visit as ‘making history’, Palestinians deem it ‘shameful’

Issued on: 20/10/2020 – 14:27 In an historic first visit by a...

Middle East

Iran rules out weapons ‘buying spree’ as UN embargo is set to expire

Issued on: 18/10/2020 – 07:42 Iran said it was self-reliant in its...