Abbas urges Rice to press Israeli evacuation from Rafah crossing

Palestinian Leader Mahmoud Abbas has asked US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to interfere and press Israel to evacuate Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egyptian borders, Palestinian Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry said in a statement that Abbas held talks on telephone with Rice on Wednesday night, during which he officially demanded her interference.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Presidency's spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh told reporters that Abbas demanded the Israeli army evacuation from the crossing as an encouraging step for the Gaza pullout due to begin next week.

Abbas also briefed Rice the latest Palestinian preparations to facilitate the implementation of the withdrawal plan and the latest coordination meetings between the two sides.

Rafah crossing, the only exit for Gazans to travel abroad, is still controlled by Israel, which plans to hand over to Egypt to deploy 750 soldiers on the border to prevent weapon smuggling.

Source: Xinhua