Israeli high court allows fuel ban in Gaza

JERUSALEM, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Israel's High Court of Justice ruled Friday the government may keep cutting fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip in the face of rising humanitarian issues.

Several human rights groups petitioned the court over an Israeli decision to reduce supplies of gasoline, diesel fuel and electricity to the Gaza Strip citing humanitarian concerns, Haaretz said Friday.

"We were not convinced that the decision by (Israel) to limit the amount of fuel transferred to the Gaza Strip harms, at this point, vital humanitarian needs in the strip," the court wrote in its decision.

Gazan companies responded by refusing fuel shipments from Israel, resulting in the closure of most of Gaza's petrol stations, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The Israeli government had requested the suspension of electrical services to the Gaza Strip in what government spokesman David Baker said was a "non-lethal" response to increased Qassam rocket attacks from Gaza.

However, the president of the Israeli Supreme Court -- which acts as the High Court of Justice on government actions -- suspended that request, saying Israel needed to provide a review of the humanitarian situation in Gaza before the court ruled on the electricity issue, Ynnetnew said.