Mitchell Urges Abbas Role To Ease Gaza Blockade

Israel has imposed a tight blockade on the coastal enclave, saying it needs to prevent Hamas acquiring arms.

U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell called on Thursday for an opening of trade crossings into the Gaza Strip with the involvement of the Western-backed Palestinian Authority.

Following talks in Ramallah with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is at odds with Gaza's ruling Islamist movement Hamas, Mitchell told reporters: "To be successful in preventing the illicit traffic of arms into Gaza there must be a mechanism to allow the flow of legal goods, and that should be with the participation of the Palestinian Authority."

Israel has imposed a tight blockade on the coastal enclave, saying it needs to prevent Hamas acquiring arms.