Israel and Gaza: After the storm | The Economist
FOR decades archaeologists have searched for the ruins of Tida, Gaza’s lost port of the ancient world. Plans for a modern version look almost as mythical. Closed to most shipping since the six-day war in 1967, Gaza longs for the sea access that Israel has repeatedly considered in negotiations over the past two decades. The issue is once again on the table.
The two sides this week resumed indirect talks in Cairo designed to achieve a long-term ceasefire after five weeks of war. The guns have at least been fairly quiet in recent days. But the negotiations are complex, and the issue of Gaza’s blockade is central. The enclave’s power-brokers, the Islamists of Hamas, are trying to revive the idea of a seaport while scaling back demands for an airport and a corridor to the West Bank.
