Israel closes pedestrian crossing with Gaza

Israel's defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, announced Sunday that the pedestrian border crossing between Israel and Gaza had been closed.

The Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip would, however, remain open for humanitarian cases, journalists and aid workers, a spokeswoman for COGAT, Israel's chief liaison office with the Palestinians, added.

The decision to close the crossing, the spokeswoman said, was made following violence along the Gaza border on Friday. It is unclear how long the crossing would remain closed.

Israeli fire killed two Palestinians when clashes broke out during weekly protests in the Gaza Strip. Another 60 were injured during the violent demonstrations.

Protests by Palestinians have taken place near the border every Friday since March 30. The demonstrators are calling for an end to the blockade on Gaza.

jlw/tj (AFP, AP, dpa)

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