Egypt detains alleged Sinai smugglers

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1159193348362&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Jerusalem Post 9/30/06

Four Egyptian policemen and five Palestinians have been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle ammunition and hand grenades into the Gaza Strip, security officials said Saturday.

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The policemen were handing over the weapons to the Palestinians, when Egyptian authorities interrupted the deal and arrested them, the officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The ammunition was stolen from Egyptian stockpiles, while the grenades were provided by local Bedouin, the officials said. The plan was to smuggle the weapons into Gaza through tunnels or through the Rafah border crossing, the officials added.

Israel pulled out of Gaza last year, turning control of the coastal strip's borders over to Palestinian and Egyptian officials. Since then, the IDF has said, smuggling of weapons and explosives across the Egypt-Gaza border has increased considerably.

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Many here seem to harbor the simplistic view that it's Israel against all the Arabs. Egypt and Jordan - both Arab states that have made peace with Israel - are no friend of the current PA - and in fact they are both requiring that Hamas will have no role in a future PA unity government.

Hamas are not freedom fighters. They are thugs and criminals taking advantage of the flow of dollars and weapons from outside the territories for any group willing to terrorize Israel. As usual, the Palestinian people are paying the price.

Up until now the egyptian/israeli border was a very porus border with the smuggling being mainly drugs and people (refugees or "working women). Most of the work being done by the israelis. With Bedouin of the same tribe being on both sides of the border the connection was close.

However, with the PA taking control of gaza, things have changed. The egyptians are very wary of the palestenains and the idea of weapons being transferred to gaza makes them very nervous. In the past they've executed the families that "hid the tunnels".

Many here seem to harbor the simplistic view that it's Israel against all the Arabs. Egypt and Jordan - both Arab states that have made peace with Israel - ...

I actually agree with you that many here seem to harbour the simplistic Israel vs Arabs view. Ever since I arrived at DU back in 2002 I've been pointing out that the Arab states vary in their stances and attitudes towards Israel and cannot be lumped in one basket and called 'the Arabs'. But whenever I've pointed out the biggie that Egypt and Jordan both have peace treaties with Israel, I've been told the treaties aren't worth the paper they're written on and like all the other Arabs, Jordan and Egypt want to push Israel into the sea. Go figure :shrug: