France to rebuild bombed-out Gaza hospital

PARIS-France plans to rebuild a hospital in Gaza that was bombed by Israel last month, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Tuesday during his visit to Paris."France has approved a project to rebuild the Al-Quds hospital in Gaza and this is an extremely important humanitarian project," Abbas told reporters following a lunch meeting with Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner."We hope that it will be implemented as quickly as possible."Kouchner concurred that he had discussed "urgent" plans to rebuild the Al-Quds hospital and help other health centres in the Palestinian territory following Israel's 22-day offensive that left 1,330 dead.The hospital in the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza City was hit on January 15 by an Israeli shell and caught fire, forcing hundreds of patients to flee on stretchers and in wheelchairs after dark.Kouchner reiterated calls for allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza through border crossings that France maintains are being sealed off by the Israeli military.France also supports efforts toward Palestinian reconciliation that would "open the door to an agreement on forming a government of national unity," said Kouchner.Abbas has called for the formation of a reconciliation government between his Fatah movement and its Hamas rivals to pave the way for elections to restore Palestinian leadership.The president of the Palestinian Authority will travel to Strasbourg to address the European parliament on Wednesday before touring Britain, Turkey, Poland and Italy.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090203/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictgazafranceisrael_20090203174821

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