Egypt obstructs Palestinians
Retaliation: Rescue workers stand at the scene of an attack in Jerusalem yesterday. A Palestinian rammed a bulldozer into Israeli traffic on one of Jerusalem's busiest streets. Picture: Reuters
Thursday, July 3, 2008
EGYPTIAN security forces yesterday used water cannon to keep thousands of Palestinians from storming across the border between Gaza and the Sinai peninsula, a security official said.
"Egyptian security forces are using water cannons to control thousands of Palestinians who are trying to enter Egypt," the official said, adding that calm was later restored.
Witnesses on the Gaza side of the border said hundreds of Palestinians had stormed the border terminal in Rafah as Israel was set to ease a blockade of the impoverished territory.
Six members of Egyptian security forces were lightly injured when Palestinians threw rocks at them, the official said, adding that Egypt later gave security forces an order "not to respond to Palestinian provocation."
"This was done in agreement with Hamas in the Gaza Strip who have taken control of the situation," the official said.
Egypt had deployed dozens of extra troops near the Rafah crossing itself and many more along the border with the Gaza Strip.
"Palestinians are angry because they say the numbers being allowed into Egypt are limited," the official said.
He said no Palestinians had entered Egypt from Rafah yesterday and just over 200 had entered last Tuesday, adding: "Palestinians had expected that many more would be allowed in." In January, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians crossed into Egypt to stock up on vital supplies after fighters blew up large parts of the border amid a punishing Israeli blockade.
Two weeks later Egyptian security forces and Hamas gunmen closed the border.
The Gaza Strip was set meanwhile to receive its first cement shipment in a year as Israel reopens border crossings it shut down after militant rocket attacks last week that breached a truce.
Yesterday, dozens of empty lorries lined up on the Palestinian side of the Sufa crossing between Gaza and Israel waiting to load the shipments of cement and other supplies.
Israel, which blacklists Hamas as a terror group, imposed a tight embargo after the group violently seized power in the densely-populated coastal strip more than a year ago.
As part of the Egyptian-mediated truce, Israel agreed to gradually ease the embargo but kept the border crossings closed on most days since the ceasefire went into effect on June 19 in retaliation for rocket attacks.
Yesterday it was to reopen the three crossings used to deliver fuel, grain and other basic goods to Gaza.
A total of about 150 truckloads were expected to be shipped into Gaza yesterday, Lerner said. Before the truce an average of 60 truckloads made their way into the impoverished sliver of land where the majority of the 1.5 million population rely on foreign aid to survive. Hamas has insisted it is respecting the truce and trying to prevent other armed groups from firing rockets at southern Israel.
The Hamas authorities have vowed to arrest anyone who carries out such attacks.
Two people were lightly wounded on June 24 when three rockets were fired at southern Israel.AFP
"Egyptian security forces are using water cannons to control thousands of Palestinians who are trying to enter Egypt," the official said, adding that calm was later restored.
Witnesses on the Gaza side of the border said hundreds of Palestinians had stormed the border terminal in Rafah as Israel was set to ease a blockade of the impoverished territory.
Six members of Egyptian security forces were lightly injured when Palestinians threw rocks at them, the official said, adding that Egypt later gave security forces an order "not to respond to Palestinian provocation."
"This was done in agreement with Hamas in the Gaza Strip who have taken control of the situation," the official said.
Egypt had deployed dozens of extra troops near the Rafah crossing itself and many more along the border with the Gaza Strip.
"Palestinians are angry because they say the numbers being allowed into Egypt are limited," the official said.
He said no Palestinians had entered Egypt from Rafah yesterday and just over 200 had entered last Tuesday, adding: "Palestinians had expected that many more would be allowed in." In January, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians crossed into Egypt to stock up on vital supplies after fighters blew up large parts of the border amid a punishing Israeli blockade.
Two weeks later Egyptian security forces and Hamas gunmen closed the border.
The Gaza Strip was set meanwhile to receive its first cement shipment in a year as Israel reopens border crossings it shut down after militant rocket attacks last week that breached a truce.
Yesterday, dozens of empty lorries lined up on the Palestinian side of the Sufa crossing between Gaza and Israel waiting to load the shipments of cement and other supplies.
Israel, which blacklists Hamas as a terror group, imposed a tight embargo after the group violently seized power in the densely-populated coastal strip more than a year ago.
As part of the Egyptian-mediated truce, Israel agreed to gradually ease the embargo but kept the border crossings closed on most days since the ceasefire went into effect on June 19 in retaliation for rocket attacks.
Yesterday it was to reopen the three crossings used to deliver fuel, grain and other basic goods to Gaza.
A total of about 150 truckloads were expected to be shipped into Gaza yesterday, Lerner said. Before the truce an average of 60 truckloads made their way into the impoverished sliver of land where the majority of the 1.5 million population rely on foreign aid to survive. Hamas has insisted it is respecting the truce and trying to prevent other armed groups from firing rockets at southern Israel.
The Hamas authorities have vowed to arrest anyone who carries out such attacks.
Two people were lightly wounded on June 24 when three rockets were fired at southern Israel.AFP
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