Israel to expand security zone into northern Gaza

Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz has ordered a "security zone" to extend 150 metres (yards) into Palestinian land, following four days of chaos on Gaza's border with Egypt, exacerbating Israeli fears about militant infiltrations.

Thousands of people have crossed the Rafah border, with Egyptian and Palestinian security unable or unwilling to stem the tide, helped by militants who have blown holes through the frontier walls.

"Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz ordered a security zone to be laid down on the Palestinian side of the northern Gaza Strip in order to minimise the danger to Israeli communities by the chaos reigning in Gaza," a spokeswoman said.

"What is vital is to create a no-man's land to which access is forbidden for Palestinians," she added.

Palestinian planning minister Ghassan Khatib said the unilateral decision was proof that Israel remained an occupation force regardless of its withdrawal of all troops from Gaza following 38 years of military rule.

"Security zones should be partly in one state and partly in another and it should be by agreement, but Israel is working on a unilateral basis. They didn't ask us to do this," Khatib told AFP.