Gazan leader denied access to homeland

The Palestinian Islamic Movement of Jihad refused to broker a truce with Israel if the Jewish state kept preventing its leader, Ramadan Shalah, from entering the Gaza Strip. The party also invited the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to visit Gaza in order to end the current division. Leading member of the movement Khaled el-Batch said during a meeting with Hamas leaders that a truce with Israel would not be considered until Dr Shalah can freely visit his homeland. El-Batch also repeated that reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah would be essential to defeat the Israeli occupation. Tel Aviv officially ordered Egypt to prevent Shalah from entering the Gaza Strip. The leader of the Islamic Movement of Jihad is at the top of the Israeli wanted list. Sources said that the US also demanded Egypt not to allow Shalah to enter Gaza, on the basis that Egypt should commit to the Israeli demands in this regard especially that Israel views Shalah, el-Nakhala, and Saleh el-Aroory as a main threat to the truce.