Liberman: If quiet remains, Israel will reopen Gaza goods crossing

Israel will reopen the Kerem Shalom Crossing into Gaza and extend the Strip’s permitted fishing zone tomorrow morning, provided there is no violence from the coastal enclave until then, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman’s office announces.

The defense minister says this is meant to be a sign to Palestinians in the Strip that “maintaining the quiet is first and foremost in the interest of Gaza residents.”

The defense minister reached this decision during a meeting with senior defense officials this afternoon.

“During the discussion, it was decided that if the relative quiet along the Gaza border that began this week continues until tomorrow morning, the Kerem Shalom Crossing will reopen at 9 a.m. tomorrow and the fishing zone will be extended back to nine nautical miles (10.4 miles) from the coast,” his office says.

— Judah Ari Gross