Report: Egypt let Haniyeh bring $20 million into Gaza via Rafah - Haaretz

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Mon., December 31, 2007 Tevet 22, 5768

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		Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh waving upon his return to the Gaza Strip on Thursday. (Reuters)

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Last update - 00:13 07/01/2007

Report: Egypt let Haniyeh bring $20 million into Gaza via Rafah

By Avi Issacharof, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service

An Egyptian customs official told the Egyptian newspaper Al Ahram on Saturday that Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh brought $20 million into the Gaza Strip with Egyptian approval.

According to the official, Haniyeh acted in accordance with Egyptian law and declared the money in his possession.

A European Union official at the Rafah Crossing told Israel Radio, however, that when Haniyeh arrived at the crossing Thursday, Egyptian officials reported that he was not carrying any foreign funds.

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Haniyeh and his aides underwent unprecedented security measures that were meant to ensure that they were not bringing in money or weapons when he returned to Gaza from a pilgrimage to Islam's holiest city Mecca.

Palestinian security sources confirmed Friday that senior Hamas official Nizar Rayan also entered the Gaza Strip with $6 million, the radio reported, although Rayan has denied bringing in funds.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during their Thursday meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh that Egyptian law does not allow the confiscation of foreign funds, so long as they are properly declared.

An unnamed government minister told Israel Radio he will ask Olmert for details on the issue in Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting. According to the minister, Israel has been steadfast on preventing money transfers to Hamas - an end to which Israel has also been able to garner the support of European Union countries.

The strict security measures were planned by representatives of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, the United States and the EU.

Representatives of the four parties met in Jerusalem on Wednesday to coordinate security arrangements concluded during Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's meeting with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas nearly two weeks ago. They also discussed the operation of the Rafah crossing between Sinai and Gaza in anticipation of Haniyeh's arrival.

In accordance with the agreed-upon arrangements, the Saudi Arabian aircraft carrying Haniyeh landed in El-Arish and underwent a detailed security inspection by a joint American-Egyptian team, in the presence of Nizami Muhane, the PA official responsible for the border crossings. The team was to confiscate any weapons or money.

Afterward, Egypt informed the EU monitors at Rafah that Haniyeh and his aides are "clean" of both weapons and money, and they were transferred to the border in Egyptian vehicles.

After completing the rudimentary inspection reserved for VIPs, Haniyeh and his entourage entered Gaza in four armored vehicles belonging to the office of the PA chairman.

Two weeks ago, Haniyeh was delayed for seven hours at Rafah after trying to enter Gaza carrying large sums of cash donated to Hamas during his visit to Iran and other Muslim countries that support the organization.

He was ultimately allowed to enter Gaza only after surrendering the cash to aides in Egypt. Both Abbas and Israel are trying to avoid a repetition of this scenario, which resulted in tensions among Fatah and Hamas, and also elevated Haniyeh to the status of hero among Hamas supporters

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1.	ther dividends of SHARONS STUPIDITYare arriving	12:26	\|	paul harris	06/01/07

2.	"Egypt let Haniyeh bring $20 million into Gaza" the headline ...	12:26	\|	Nadav	06/01/07

3.	Good for Palestinians	13:05	\|	EU observer	06/01/07

4.	Egypt did the right thing	13:06	\|	Fatah	06/01/07

5.	Kudos to the Egyptians	13:13	\|	David James Vickery	06/01/07

6.	And in addition....	13:20	\|	David James Vickery	06/01/07

7.	Money	13:23	\|	Joe	06/01/07

8.	Egypt let Haniyeh bring $20 million into Gaza	13:44	\|	lorie	06/01/07

9.	#3 EU Observer	13:50	\|	Disgusted	06/01/07

10.	Poor Palestinians	13:54	\|	Simone	06/01/07

11.	Hamas, Funds, US, and Egypt	13:56	\|	Arabi	06/01/07

12.	Shame on you, Egypt, for not adehering to agreements with Israel	13:57	\|	Petra	06/01/07

13.	This is not your business....	13:59	\|	Fritz	06/01/07

14.	NO ONE TO BLAME BUT ISRAEL`S LEADERS!	14:11	\|	EVEN	06/01/07

15.	confiscateit	14:28	\|	randolf	06/01/07

16.	Fritz, I do not know to whom you refer in your note, but I would	14:30	\|	Nadav	06/01/07

17.	confiscateit 2	14:30	\|	randolf	06/01/07

18.	To Disgusted #9	14:40	\|	Shlomo from Tel-Aviv	06/01/07

19.	Nothing wrong	14:42	\|	JJ	06/01/07

20.	Is anyone suprised that Israel was betrayed by Egypt?	14:49	\|	Sarit	06/01/07

21.	For Petra # 12	14:49	\|	Clickfool	06/01/07

22.	How the Zionists are squealing	14:53	\|	Clickfool	06/01/07

23.	PHILADELPHI RT, NEEDS TO BE RE-OCCUPIED	15:05	\|	Like it is	06/01/07

24.	miney	15:07	\|	vince	06/01/07

25.	to clickfool	15:08	\|	randolf	06/01/07

26.	JEWS NEED TO REBUILD AND RETURN TO GUSH KATIF	15:09	\|	Law and Order	06/01/07

27.	Build your own capital	15:16	\|	Jerry D	06/01/07

28.	For Sarit # 20	15:22	\|	Clickfool	06/01/07

29.	#22	15:22	\|	Jerry D	06/01/07

30.	It is time Egypt warmed up its "peace" with Israel	15:33	\|	Marcel	06/01/07

31.	Nothing to Worry About	15:33	\|	Rollin	06/01/07

32.	#22 WHICH ONES ARE THE ZIONISTS CLIKKY	15:33	\|	paul harris	06/01/07

33.	Rafah border is becoming the Millionier gate	15:36	\|	Tamir Gaza	06/01/07

34.	#11 Arabi, You were not an Arab, ask your mother	15:37	\|	Simone	06/01/07

35.	One Idea...	15:43	\|	Ronnie Wolman	06/01/07

36.	#3	15:45	\|	Jerry D	06/01/07

37.	#20 I Agree...Why the Surprise?	15:48	\|	Tony Anthony	06/01/07

38.	THERE WILL NEVER BE, AND MUST NEVER BE A "PALESTINIAN STATE"	16:03	\|	Law and Order	06/01/07

39.	Simone and the poorpals	16:07	\|	Amir	06/01/07

40.	Tzipi Livni, must be never permited to become a PM	16:08	\|	get some lessons	06/01/07

41.	Money is not for food, but for WEAPONS	16:16	\|	albert amato	06/01/07

42.	# 15 # 17 U have long nose to be cut away!	16:20	\|	Simone	06/01/07

43.	I doubt it	16:33	\|	Lebanese in Canada	06/01/07

44.	To Petra re: Shame	16:39	\|	David James Vickery	06/01/07

45.	Head of the snake	17:13	\|	* BEN JABO	06/01/07

46.	#29 never a Pal state!!	17:31	\|	ballistic	06/01/07

47.	#26 Tamir-Gaza (London) re:EGYPTIAN ASP	17:34	\|	* BEN JABO	06/01/07

48.	#23 you want to starve the pals	17:39	\|	ballistic	06/01/07

49.	20 Ronnie Wolman - Missing $14 Million	18:12	\|	Mark of Lewiston	06/01/07

50.	# 38 Jump off that horse, it ain`t going anywhere	18:29	\|	ChanahS	06/01/07

51.	SIMONE	18:33	\|	The Judge	06/01/07

52.	FOOD FOR THOUGHT	18:33	\|	TOBIA	06/01/07

53.	LAND NOT STOLEN BALLISTIC	18:51	\|	TOBIA	06/01/07

54.	David James Vickery - And how old are you? And why age should be	19:06	\|	Petra	06/01/07

55.	#43 Er, US sent money and will send more	19:08	\|	ballistic	06/01/07

56.	Dirtbags Egyptians	19:08	\|	SLAVO	06/01/07

57.	TO BALLISTIC	19:09	\|	THE JUDGE	06/01/07

58.	#46 Hi Tobia; I read your post	19:11	\|	ballistic	06/01/07

59.	#45 why do you care, it`s not your money	19:16	\|	ballistic	06/01/07

60.	Ballistic #39 ....NOSIREE	20:05	\|	albert amato	06/01/07

61.	BEN JABO	20:37	\|	Tamir Gaza	06/01/07

62.	like it is.....like they are gonna listen to your stupid advice	20:44	\|	Tamir Gaza	06/01/07

63.	#43 Chanah response	20:59	\|	ballistic	06/01/07

64.	Starving Palestinians	21:04	\|	Oh please	06/01/07

65.	# 43 is meant for # 39. They keep moving the cheese.	21:07	\|	ChanahS	06/01/07

66.	# 48 Tamir Gaza	21:09	\|	ChanahS	06/01/07

67.	Bravo for Egypt its about time they did the right thing	21:31	\|	Guy From NYC	06/01/07

68.	#51 Hey Chanah	21:31	\|	ballistic	06/01/07

69.	egypt	21:33	\|	baracuda	06/01/07

70.	TO 6	21:35	\|	mijou	06/01/07

71.	BAllistic	21:50	\|	TOBIA	06/01/07

72.	Tobia #46	21:52	\|	JJ	06/01/07

73.	#47 to the judge	21:55	\|	ballistic	06/01/07

74.	#61 Tobia response	22:07	\|	ballistic	06/01/07

75.	#61 Tobia, 2nd reply	22:11	\|	ballistic	06/01/07

76.	57 # Bravo for Egypt its about time they did the right thing	22:19	\|	Arik	06/01/07

77.	Haniyeh get some money , buy some weapons , hire some pals	22:58	\|	Joseph E .	06/01/07

78.	Didnt israel claim they LEFT Gaza??	23:24	\|	Ali	06/01/07

79.	Hanyeh remids me on Arafat only	23:40	\|	dzone	06/01/07

80.	#11Arabi	00:29	\|	Lynn	07/01/07

81.	Egypt`s failed its commitment...Hamas failed Palestinians	01:11	\|	Marwan مروان خوري	07/01/07

82.	To # 39 : Is Hamas a terrorist organization ?	01:15	\|	Yanke-love-it	07/01/07

83.	I`m sure the money`ll be spent on "humanitarian" causes like TNT	01:18	\|	Marwan مروان خوري	07/01/07

84.	Next year on the moon ? Why not ! lol	01:24	\|	Yanke-love-it	07/01/07

85.	Mark of Lewiston: Black September or Blackjack	02:11	\|	Ronnie Wolman	07/01/07

86.	#61 Tamir-Gaza - Olmert RAUS	02:23	\|	* BEN JABO	07/01/07

87.	question to marwan	02:37	\|	dov	07/01/07

88.	Ballistic	03:07	\|	Monti	07/01/07

89.	$20M = Egypt answer to Egypt Sharm El Sheikh Conference Failure	03:24	\|	Joseph E .	07/01/07

90.	IT IS NOT MY COURT BALLISTIC	04:18	\|	TOBIA	07/01/07

91.	78: Gosh, Ali, how dare we complain people are attacking?	09:11	\|	David Teich	07/01/07

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