Monday Jan 07, 2008

The Weekly Portion: The Egyptian-Saudi conspiracy

Posted by MK Ephraim Sneh
Comments: 15
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Since Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip, all border crossings have been closed between Gaza and Israel and between Gaza and Egypt.

The passage of goods for humanitarian purposes is conducted temporarily through the Sufa crossing or the Kerem Shalom crossing which is essentially a border delineation. In the tunnels dug between Sinai and the Rafiah area in the Gaza Strip - a phenomenon Egypt has still not managed to control or shut down - the smuggling of weapons and arms, money and operatives are a common occurrence.

When the time came for the pilgrimage to Mecca (the hajj), PA leader Mahmoud Abbas coordinated with Israel the passage of hundreds of pilgrims through Jordanian bridges, where once on the Jordanian side, Saudi officials were to be waiting to stamp their passports. The gesture was meant to bolster Abbas's political standing and prevent Hamas operatives from making their way to training facilities in Iran and to other meetings.

The Saudis delayed in responding to the Palestinian-Saudi-Jordanian arrangement. Then, Egypt opened the Rafiah crossing and let hundreds of Gazans pass through without checking if any were Hamas members (and there were many, including senior operatives).

And lo and behold - Saudi officials were waiting for them on the Egyptian side to stamp their passports. Meaning, there was some Egyptian-Saudi conspiracy which served to assist Hamas while humiliating the Palestinian Authority President. It became clear that among the pilgrims were senior Hamas officials who in addition to making the holy journey to Mecca, also went for political talks in the Saudi Kingdom.

Both Israel and Abbas regarded this Egyptian maneuver gravely. The defense minister flew to Sharm-e-Sheikh to meet with President Mubarak who promised him that the Gazans who exited without inspections through the Rafah crossing would be obligated to re-enter through the Israeli Kerem Shalom border crossing.

In this way, Israel could prevent the re-entry of Hamas men and any finances intended for Hamas. A reminder: in September, Egypt allowed hundreds of Hamas men trained in Iran to re-enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing. Last week, Egypt once-again violated the agreement and allowed the re-entry of the pilgrims, among them Hamas operatives smuggling money, into Gaza through the Rafah crossing, without inspection.

In doing so, Egypt breached a Presidential promise it made to Defense Minister Barak, boosted Hamas's rule in Gaza by demonstrating that it is not that isolated, permitted Hamas terrorists trained in Iran to enter Gaza without having to crawl through tunnels and enriched Hamas's coffers by millions of dollars.

There are many ways to explain the Egyptians' surprising and damaging behavior. Isn't Mubarak's regime fighting the 'Muslim Brotherhood', and isn't Gaza's Hamas essentially its sister organization? The continuation of Hamas's rule is a negative and dangerous precedent for the Egyptian government. Why strengthen the terror acts against Israel?

Because there are no logical answers to these questions, there is now a dark shadow over Egypt's credibility with regards to its struggle with Islamic terror. Even in this matter, we have no one to rely on but ourselves.

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1  |   Conrad / France, Tuesday Jan 08, 2008

Does Israel trust Egypt to provide Israeli security?

2  |   ron-Australia, Tuesday Jan 08, 2008

Logical? Well yes and no. It is not logical because of the Muslim Brotherhood. But it makes sense when undermining and bleeding Israel takes precedence. Remember at the end of WW2? Germany needed trains to transport troops to the front with USSR. But transporting Jews to Camps took precedence. Sometimes hate eliciits more commitment than logic.

3  |   Newman, Tuesday Jan 08, 2008

It's amazing how Israel's leaders are expert analyzers on all topics regarding Israel's securtiy. Just ask them and they'll tell you.

Enough with analyzing day and night.

Israel needs action, doers, even by leaders void of all analysis. Actions, and not endless words.

4  |   alexanderZ, Tuesday Jan 08, 2008

Answer. Because Arabs want their cake and eat it. And this is so regarding all their dealings with Israel, and will be so forever. They will "eat " all our concessions and ask for more for ever and ever. When one is conned once out of money one should learn the first time and not on repetition of 200th time.

5  |   David Katcoff, Jericho, Vt, Tuesday Jan 08, 2008

This is just another example of how meaningless the whole peace treaty is with Egypt. The only thing preventing Egypt from attacking Israel is the IDF.

6  |   Khalid, Tuesday Jan 08, 2008

Egypt is under no obligation to starve Gazans, who are their brothrs.

Besides, it is non of Israel's business if Gazans bring money or even weapons into their own territory.

Didn't Jews smuggle food and money and even cows into Ghetto Warsaw? What is the difference between Gaza and Ghetto Warsaw?

7  |   Victor Galindo, USA, Tuesday Jan 08, 2008

Reasons for Egyptian perfidity: Oil. Hatrid of Jews(Muslim, Some American). Stupidity (Israeli and American).

8  |   Velvel usa, Tuesday Jan 08, 2008

You were foolish to ever think that Egypt could be anything other than what they are. Evidence has shown it 4 years, the evidence becomes more pronounced leaving you and your leftist 'arm the enemies and beg mercy to facilitate Israel's destruction but sparing its political leaders' Arabist two-statist ilk, with the egg on your face to the public eye.

9  |   hank/canada, Tuesday Jan 08, 2008

Maybe they should retake the Philidelphia Corridor?? Israel had an opportunity to dig a trench from the Mediterranean Sea to the Gaza border and force all to pass over bridges or drown underground.
It seems that of the many agreements made by the various Arab groups, none have been fulfilled by them, that makes them null and void and Israel should reverse its implementations and redeploy in all areas from which they withdrew.
The main problem was that Israel was reluctant to govern Arabs. Look what that got them.

10  |   alun, Tuesday Jan 08, 2008

saudi Egypt Hamas AL Quaeda and the PA all have the same objective to destroy Israel and spread Islam worldwide they only differ in method Egypt and the PA are pragmatic Saudi Hamas are less pragmatic and Al quaeda are not pragmatic at all.The pragmatists are more dangerous than the non pragmatists as Israel and the West are misled by the supposed "moderate policies"

11  |   Baba, Wednesday Jan 09, 2008

Sneh refuses to post any of my criticisms. I have tried numerous times to post on his blog. If you can't handle the heat, Sneh, get out of the kitchen, and don't write a propaganda blog. Decent human beings and citizens deserve to see your misleading words held up to the light of criticism and reason.

12  |   P. Barnes - Palm Springs, CA. USA, Wednesday Jan 09, 2008

It doesn't take a mental giant to figure it out.
In any case Israel has many many mental giants. They should quit figuring and start acting. As Golda Meir once said - We will do what has to be done. What has been stopping us since? I hesitate to ask.

13  |   John Pitbull London, Wednesday Jan 09, 2008

The Egyptian strategy was analysed immediately following Sadat's visit and the conclusions were published in Hebrew 1978 entitled "Sadat's Conspiracy" and in English (Dawn Books ISBN 0-9690001-0-3 : Eidelberg Paul 1979) before relinquishing Sinai!
So Mr Sneh tell us someting new!

14  |   shalom pollack, Thursday Jan 10, 2008

TOLD YOU SO!!
As weE told yo so continually since the Oslo crime

15  |   martin list,m.d. USA, Thursday Jan 10, 2008

Egypt is a third world country subsisting on US generosity,Suez canal trnsfer fees and progressively decreasing tourism due to their inability to control terror.It has the highest unemployment rate in the world, 60%. Yet it is focusing on Israeis' destruction, like all of the Arabs are.They are in no condition to make war and are a threat only to themselves. They ought to be glad to have Israel as a good neighbor who may help get them back to a modern State.President Mubarak just doesn't get it. He better wisen up for the sake of his people.

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The Weekly Portion Former Deputy Defense Minister Dr. MK Ephraim Sneh comments on the headlines of the past week.

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Recent Comments

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Lars, Mad City, USA: This is a joke, right? You can't possibly believe that the United States, the UN, or ANY other country is going to prevent Iran from getting their bomb? If it isn't already in the protective shelter, it sure will be. Dr. Sneh, you are correct that the powers in the United States, occupied as they are with a finanacial crisis, NEVER intended to do anything but talk about Iran and a Nuke. It is, as it always has been "an Isreali problem"...if not now, it will be. The UN and Europe won't lift a finger either. Peaceful men like you shall one day know that "talk" is only good for tea parties.