Palestinians reject offer to open Kerem Shalom

Israel offered on Friday to allow the opening of the Kerem Shalom border crossing, to let 500 Palestinians, waiting on the Egyptian side of the border, into the Gaza Strip. The Palestinians rejected the offer. The offer was made out of humanitarian concerns, after the three-way crossing had been closed for nearly two weeks, since Cpl. Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by Palestinian operatives.