Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, issued orders on Tuesday evening to seal all border crossings leading to the Gaza Strip after the Israeli military claimed that Palestinian fighters fired a homemade rocket at an adjacent Israeli area. Israelu sources reported that the rocket was fired towards the city of Ashkelon. It landed and detonated in an open area causing no damage or injuries.
Barak held a meeting with several security officials and decided to close all Gaza Strip crossings starting on Wednesday until further notice.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority (president Mahmoud Abbas has dismissed intelligence chief Tawfiq Tirawi but appointed him as his security advisor. Tirawi led an anti-Hamas crackdown since Hamas routed Fatah in the Gaza Strip in June 2007.
Hamas repeatedly has requested that Abbas remove Tirawi for his strong opposition to its growing strength in the West Bank. His removal will likely please Hamas which the Fatah faction is poised to enter talks with in early November in Cairo.
The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said Abbas appointed Tirawi as his security adviser and head of the Palestinian National Security Academy. Tirawi's deputy will act as a temporary replacement.
