Palestinians, controlling their first international border with the outside world (WAR Report), allowed between 10-15 militants to enter Gaza at the Rafah border crossing. Fourteen years ago, Israel deported Fadel Zahar to Lebanon . Fadel Zahar is the brother of Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar (see photo on following page). While the European Union has monitors at the border crossing, they have no institutional knowledge of whom some of the people are and why they have either fled or been expelled from Gaza.

This week, the US will send Assistant Secretary of State David Welch (see photo below) to the region to see what steps need to be undertaken so that Israeli and the Palestinians stay on course. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has made this a priority and continues to monitor the actions of both parties. Last week, Israel threatened to close the Erez and Karni Crossings as well as revoke the special trade status that the Palestinian Territories currently enjoy.