<br/>Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has demanded the comprehensive and complete lifting of the Israeli siege imposed on the Gaza Strip. <br/><br/>Chief Palestinian negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat told Palestinian news agency WAFA after the meeting of Abbas and U.S. middle East Envoy George Mitchell in Ramallah last evening that President Abbas demanded during the meeting that all major crossing points between Gaza and Israel must be open and made fully operational. President Abbas told Mitchell that this blockade is a collective punishment, and there is no justification for its continuance. He stressed that lifting the blockade would favour a restart of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians that were halted when Israel launched a devastating 22-day offensive in Gaza in December 2008.<br/><br/>Mitchell who is mediating indirect talks between Israel and Palestinians also met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he is due in Egypt for talks with its leaders today.<br/>