There are already conflicting reports surrounding news of discussions between Israel and Egypt towards an enlarged Egyptian military presence along its Gazan border, perhaps increasing the Sinai force from its current 750 to 1,500. This towards bringing a halt to arms smuggling by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

According to a report in the daily Egyptian al-Hayat, Egypt is interested in maintaining its current role as gatekeeper, and Cairo stresses under no circumstances will it permit an international forces on its soil. This statement sends the message that it is Egypt or no one, seeking to compel Israel to accept Egyptian force at its back door once again. Egypt also reports having acquired a new advanced $24 million system to improve border crossing supervision.

ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) Director Yuval Diskin and other intelligence community officials during the past year have warned that Egypt continues to turn a blind eye to Hamas activities across the border, which ultimately permitted the Hamas regime to arm itself.

Interestingly, despite Egypt’s documented colossal failure in preventing the smuggling of weapons and ammunition into Gaza previously, leading to the situation which compelled Operation Cast Lead, Israel once again appears ready and willing to place the border crossing in the untrusting hands of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)