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Source: http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=178720
Israel Explains Decision to Ease Gaza Land Blockade
(Jerusalem Post) Israeli government spokesmen Thursday said the process of relaxing restrictions on Gaza had started months ago. The security cabinet reiterated that the naval blockade of Gaza would remain. According to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the intention is to allow more goods into Gaza, but always only after an Israeli search of the cargo to ensure that it does not include "weapons, ammunition or materiel that can aid in fighting." An official in the Prime Minister's Office said there was strong international support for Israel's position on keeping arms from reaching Gaza, even though there was a great deal of international criticism over barring civilian goods. The hope was that by removing the "distraction" over the civilian goods, Israel would strengthen international legitimacy for the naval blockade and security procedures needed to keep weapons and ammunition out of Gaza.