Gaza blockade on way to ease as proximity talks continue

However, Gad dismissed the idea that the failure of the inter- Palestinian reconciliation would have negative impact on the progress of proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

"Israel does not wait for achieving Palestinian reconciliation. It employed this division in the past to postpone negotiations on the final status. Now every thing is stable and Hamas poses no danger to Israel," he said, describing the Israeli-Palestinian proximity talks as a success.

"As long as the proximity talks do not stop, this means that it proves success in overcoming a crucial stage marked by tension," he said referring to the resumption of talks despite Israeli attack on the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla.

The Egyptian expert expected Israel to respond to some of the requests made by the Palestinians, especially regarding the security issues and allowing aid to Gaza, due to US pressure.

The Palestinian leadership wants a complete Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied territories, and they demand Israel to completely halt all settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and resume the talks on final-status issues that end with the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Yasser Abed Rabbo, a Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) official, said on Friday that Abbas is waiting for the Israeli answers to the Palestinian "ideas related to security and borders" carried by Mitchell.