Egypt deploys forces along Gaza border

Source: CCTV.com

10-30-2006 08:43

Egypt has deployed troops along the Gaza strip border after reports warning that Israel may bomb tunnels used to smuggle weapons into the Palestinian territories. EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana hopes Egypt can do more to secure its border with the Gaza strip.

Only a handful of Egyptian security forces were seen patrolling the Egyptian-Israeli border. Few soldiers could be seen in the Gaza strip.

The Israeli newspaper Maariv reported on Friday that precision-guided weapons would be used to penetrate deep underground in the hope of destroying the tunnel network in the border area. Israel says it has uncovered 15 tunnels, where weapons are believed to be going into Palestinian territories so that can be used in attacks on Israel.

But the Israeli army has declined to comment on the report, saying anything that will take place along the corridor will be reported to Egyptian authorities in advance.

A Palestinian security official in Gaza denied reports of further Egyptian forces being deployed along the border. Egyptian security and border officials said the possible Israeli operation could threaten around 20 thousand civilians who live close to the border.

Meanwhile, the European Union's top diplomat arrived in Cairo on Sunday. Solana hopes to push Egypt into doing more to secure its border with the Gaza strip.

Javier Solana, EU foreign policy chief said, “I think that what is being done by the Egyptians is commendable and I don't think that will be any need for the Israelis to do more because the Egyptians are doing very well at the job.”

An Egyptian presidential spokesman said Egypt was also concerned about weapon smuggling and drugs trafficking from the Israeli side.

Soliman Awad, Egyptian Presidential spokesman said, “So there is a common interest to control those tunnels and the Israelis know quite well that we are doing all we can to control this.”

Solana is on the last leg of a six-day tour of the Middle East. He planned to meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and other officials to discuss Egyptian efforts to broker a prisoner swap between Israel and the Palestinians.

Editor:Sun Luying