The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Jerusalem

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will hold crisis talks on Sunday on how to limit Hamas control over Gaza's breached border with Egypt. Abbas wants to take over Gaza's border crossings, including the one with Egypt that Hamas blasted open on Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands of Gazans have since poured across the border into Egypt to stock up on goods in short supply because of an Israeli-led blockade of the Hamas-controlled territory. Israel has so far resisted the idea of giving Abbas and his West Bank-based government control of the Gaza crossings, citing concerns about security. Even if Olmert were to agree, it is unclear how the Fatah leader would take over the crossings without Hamas's consent.