Two Palestinian Popular Committees called today on the Secretary General of United Nations Ban Ki-moon to take practical steps to lift Israeli siege imposed on the Gaza Strip for more than two and a half years. The Popular Committee Against the Siege and Palestinian International Campaign of Non-Governmental Organizations Network for Lifting the Siege described the visit of Ban Ki-moon, who arrived in Gaza today, as important for lifting the Israeli siege and reconstruction works, also calling for adoption of recommendations of the report of UN Fact-Finding Committee headed by Judge Richard Goldstone on breaking the siege and opening closed commercial crossings. Ban Ki-moon has repeatedly called for an end to the blockade imposed in 2007. In a visit to a Gaza City neighborhood badly damaged during last year's Israeli offensive, he promised residents appealing for an end to the blockade that «we stand with you.» On Friday, Ban and other Mideast mediators called for the opening of Gaza's borders.
