British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged Israel to follow up its withdrawal of troops from the Gaza Strip by opening the crossings into the Palestinian territory.
Brown told a joint press conference yesterday in Jerusalem with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he welcomed his Israeli counterpart's pledge to withdraw troops from Gaza as soon as possible after a 22-day offensive on Gaza.
"I hope that that will be possible and also that we will see an opening of the crossings," the British premier said.
"I believe that that would constitute the next stage following the ceasefire that will make possible a resumption of the talks that are necessary for a permanent peace."
Brown added: "We recognise that the cessation of rocket attacks and the control of arms trafficking are vital to the security of the people of Israel and Israel has the right to be secure within its own borders."
He said that building a permanent peace in the region "means security for Israel within its borders and that means the viability, economically and socially, of the Palestinian state".
