A spokesman for Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas denied a report in Haaretz yesterday that Egypt had transferred weapons and ammunition to Fatah-affiliated forces in the Gaza Strip, with Israel's approval.

Nabil Abu Rudeina said yesterday that the report of the transfer of 2,000 assault rifles is not true.

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However, other senior Palestinian figures did not refute the report. Saeb Erekat, head of negotiations for the PLO, said that he would not comment on it, while Selim Abu Sfiye, the official in charge of border crossings for the PA, said that he was not able to either confirm or deny it.

A Hamas spokesman, Ismail Radwan, and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh's adviser, Ahmed Yusuf, said that they intend to ask members of the Egyptian security delegation in Gaza for clarifications on the matter.

Meanwhile, the head of the Defense Ministry's diplomatic-security panel, Major General (res.) Amos Gilad, said yesterday that the military assistance transferred to the Palestinian presidential guard came from the Arab world, and Israel was not directly involved in it.

"The aid is meant to strengthen the peace forces against the forces of darkness, which are threatening the future of the Middle East," Gilad said in an interview on Israel Radio.

National Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer told Army Radio yesterday that "the weapons that are being sent there are meant to give Abu Mazen [Abbas] the ability to counter those organizations that are trying to destroy every good thing. If this helps Abu Mazen to get stronger, I am in favor."

But opposition MK Yuval Steinitz (Likud) expressed his criticism of the arms transfer, saying that "many Israeli soldiers and civilians will be killed by these weapons."