Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei said Tuesday that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is ready to carry its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip right after the Israeli withdrawal is finalized.

Qurei told reporters in Gaza that the only outstanding issue between Israel and the Palestinians is the control of border crossings, mainly the Rafah crossing on the Egypt-Gaza border.

Qurei's remarks came after his meeting with visiting Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, to whom he said efforts are underway to guarantee free access of passengers and goods on the crossings.

"There are proposals and ideas presented to solve the disputes on terminals and crossings, but we consider it not practical. However, there are Egyptian and international efforts and we hope disputes would end soon," Qurei said.

Qurei reiterated the PNA readiness to take over any Palestinian land the Israeli army withdraws from, mainly the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank.

The Israeli army is due to complete the withdrawal from all Gazaby Sept. 15 after it evacuated all 21 settlements in Gaza and four in the northern West Bank in August.

Also on Tuesday evening, a Palestinian young man was shot dead and three others wounded by Israeli soldiers west of the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis, Palestinian medics and witnesses said.

 
A group of young men approached an Israeli army checkpoint near the evacuated settlement Naveh Dekalim, west of the town, and Israeli soldiers stationed there opened fire at them, some witnesses said.

However, other witnesses said the Israeli soldiers opened fire after more than 100 young men and teens threw stones at the checkpoint between Khan Younis and Naveh Dekalim.

It was the first confrontation between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians in Gaza since Israeli army evacuated 25 settlements in the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank last month.

(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2005)