US calls talks to avert Gaza food shortage

GAZA, Mar 19 (Reuters) The United States called a meeting today to try to end an Israeli-Palestinian dispute over a closed commercial crossing that has caused food shortages in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has shut the Karni terminal, the main cargo crossing and supply route between Israel and Gaza, on and off for the past two months, citing security concerns. It is closed now and Israel says it has no immediate plans to reopen it.

''We've taken the initiative to call a meeting between the parties to faciliate the passing of humanitarian goods into Gaza,'' said Stewart Tuttle, a spokesman for the US embassy in Tel Aviv.

The meeting with senior European Union, Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian officials was scheduled for later today.

The United States overcame Israeli objections to mediate an agreement to open the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt in November.

Palestinians in Gaza say the closure of Karni has led to shortages of bread and other basic goods. Many bakeries have been forced to close for lack of flour.

Gaza's economy still relies on supplies from Israel despite its withdrawal from the coastal strip last year.

Israeli officials today said they would open an alternative crossing at Kerem Shalom, south of Karni, on a limited basis to alleviate food shortages.

Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz told Israel's cabinet he had issued instructions for Kerem Shalom to open as ''a temporary replacement to Karni, where there are security alerts that endanger soldiers and civilians alike''.

Israel would permit 100 trucks through the crossing, Israeli officials said.

Palestinians rejected the offer as inadequate.

Salim Abu Safiya, the Palestinian security chief for crossings into Gaza, told Israel Radio Kerem Shalom was too small to meet the needs of 1.4 million Gazans and objected to shutting Karni indefinitely.

Abu Safiya said Karni was ''the backbone of the Palestinian economy''. It is the conduit for most of Gaza's raw materials imported through Israel and a key export terminal from Gaza as most of the territory's trade is with Israel.

REUTERS DKS PM1910