| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa North |
| Egypt warns Hamas over Sinai border |
| 2013-09-26 |
| [Al Ahram] Egypt has warned of a military response if Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, or other Paleostinian groups try to violate Egyptian security, increasing tension over what Cairo says is support from Gazoo for Islamist gunnies operating in the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt's army says gunnies from Hamas-run Gazoo have staged joint attacks with hardline Islamists in North Sinai, where the government has ramped up security operations after a surge of violence set off by President Mohamed Morsi's downfall in July. Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy told the London-based newspaper al-Hayat there was "tension" in Cairo's relationship with Hamas, an ideological offshoot of Morsi's Moslem Brüderbund. He suggested Hamas was not helping enough to secure the border. The Sinai gunnies expanded into a security vacuum that emerged after president Hosni Mubarak ...The former President-for-Life of Egypt, dumped by popular demand in early 2011... was ousted by a popular uprising in 2011. "If Hamas proves through actions and not words - and unfortunately there are many negative indicators - its good intentions, then it will find an Egyptian party that ... protects the Paleostinian side," Fahmy said. "If we feel that there are parties in Hamas or other parties trying to violate Egyptian national security, our response will be severe," said Fahmy, foreign minister in the interim cabinet that came to office after Morsi was deposed by the army. Asked whether any response would include a closure of the Rafah border crossing between Gazoo and Egypt, Fahmy said: "Options are military-security, and not options that result in suffering for the Paleostinian citizen." The Rafah crossing is the only way in and out of Gazoo not controlled by Israel, with which Egypt made peace in 1979. Fahmy did not elaborate on what kind of military action Cairo might take. Hamas has denied Egypt's accusations. A front man for the Hamas government said Fahmy's comments "contradicted Egypt's history and role in protecting the Paleostinian nation". Fahmy said: "There are very many flaws in the Hamas relationship with the former (Morsi) regime, and the relationship of Hamas, or other Paleostinian Islamist parties, with terror activity in Sinai." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Paleos gotta be fighting, terrorizing, and killing somewhere. If they can't reach the Jooooz, they'll kill Egyptians |
| Posted by: Frank G 2013-09-26 10:55 |