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Palestinian security officers inspecting an arms smuggling tunnel along the Gaza border in May, before Hamas seized control of the Strip. (AP)
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Egypt: IDF soldiers are aiding arms smuggling to Gaza Strip
By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: U.S. congress, Gaza smuggling 
Egyptian document distributed in U.S. Congress asserts Israeli soldiers cooperate with smugglers.

An Egyptian document distributed in Congress asserts that Israeli soldiers cooperate with smugglers in allowing arms and military equipment into the Gaza Strip. The document was relayed to senior Israeli officials where it has served to intensify concerns in Jerusalem about Egypt's willingness to stem the flow of weapons from its territory into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Srip.

The Egyptian document was circulated among congressmen by a group of Egyptian generals visiting Washington for meetings. The document was also given to legislators serving in the House Appropriations Committee. Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY), who chairs the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee was the driving force behind a freezing of $200 million worth of American aid to Egypt for reasons that included Cairo's refusal to act more forcefully to prevent smuggling. The official reason given for freezing the funds is Egypt's human rights record.

During briefings made to congressmen by the Egyptian delegation, it was argued that most of the smugglings into the Gaza Strip are carried out from the sea, not through Egyptian territory. They also maintained that Israeli soldiers collaborate with smugglers and allow them to cross into the strip. The Egyptians are also charging that Israel is exaggerating in its assessment of the amount of smuggling activity.
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News of the content of the document has stirred considerable ire in Jerusalem, where the issue of smuggling and the impression that Cairo is not doing enough to stop it has raised significant concerns in recent weeks. The issue is of central importance to Israel and Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee visiting Washington this week, discussed the matter with their American hosts.

In the draft of foreign aid appropriations, approved by the House Appropriations Committee chaired by David Obey (D-Wisconsin), and by Congress, $200 million out of a total aid package of $1.7 billion to Egypt are frozen. The draft proposal brought before the Senate does not note the frozen sum. The final version of the appropriations bill on foreign aid will be decided during a conference of both houses. In an effort to affect the result in its favor, Egypt is lobbying hard to convince legislators to adopt the Senate version of the bill.

Officially, Israel has not adopted a position regarding the frozen funds, and has not asked U.S. legislators to carry out any cuts in the aid provided to Egypt. However, Israel continues to argue before Congress that Egypt is not doing enough to block smuggling into the Gaza Strip.

Two weeks ago, several dozen Hamas activists and militants were allowed to cross into the Gaza Strip from Sinai, and senior Israeli officials stressed in talks with their counterparts in the U.S. government that the smuggling is not "a technical problem but a strategic threat."

Israel maintains that the Hamas militants who crossed into the strip received advanced training in sabotage and terrorist activities in other countries, and are now poised to create in Gaza an armed "terrorist state." Israeli intelligence assessments say that each month, several tons of explosives are smuggled into the Gaza Strip for the production of rockets and explosive devices.

A source in Congress told Haaretz yesterday that "Israel's message will carry significant weight in the final decision."

Barak, who met with Lowey this week and the members of her subcommittee, raised this issue during their talk.

The Americans heard a uniform complaint from the Israeli MKs visiting Washington this week, but opinions varied on the kind of pressure needed to convince Egypt to do more. MK Yuval Steinitz took a severe stand on the issue, while Meretz chairman, Yossi Beilin, asked that any pressure on Egypt should not result in a derailment of cooperation.

"Egypt is not Israel's enemy," Beilin said.

The issue of smuggling was also on the agenda of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her meeting yesterday with her Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Following the meeting Rice said that "we do need to do more."

However, the Egyptian foreign minister said that "the Egyptian government is doing its utmost to control that territory."

Egypt has told Rice and Vice President Dick Cheney in the past that it will not accept any attempt to place conditions on U.S. aid.

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  1.   a peace treaty with the devil 03:28  |  Shmuelshachor 18/10/07
  2.   IDF Thugs & War Criminals 03:55  |  POP 18/10/07
  3.   There`s nothing else to blame anymore 04:09  |  cristo 18/10/07
  4.   # 1 Shmuel 04:18  |  Raffoul 18/10/07
  5.   to #2,the "POOP" 04:22  |  Shmuelshachor 18/10/07
  6.   In 2000, under US Pressure 04:29  |  Mark Lincoln 18/10/07
  7.   Think about what has changed an how? 04:32  |  Mark Lincoln 18/10/07
  8.   Unreal 04:33  |  Danite 18/10/07
  9.   Dictating terms for the acceptance of charity. 04:34  |  Earl Mann 18/10/07
  10.   The IDF should get out of the war mongering business 04:36  |  Dutch 18/10/07
  11.   Pop - you are pathetic 04:37  |  Dakkar 18/10/07
  12.   I Keep Saying The Tunnels Are A Myth 04:40  |  Rowan Berkeley 18/10/07
  13.   What are the facts the egyptians are using in their accusations? 04:57  |  Shalom 18/10/07
  14.   TAKE CONTROL OVER GAZA, SINAI, DON`T ENTRUST EGYPT OUR SECURITY! 04:58  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 18/10/07
  15.   CORRUPTION? SOLUTION: DEEPLY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE MUST GOVERN 05:11  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 18/10/07
  16.   Mark Lincoln 05:13  |  Bill 18/10/07
  17.   TAKE CONTROL OVER GAZA, SINAI, DON`T ENTRUST EGYPT OUR SECURITY! 05:45  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 18/10/07
  18.   CORRUPTION? SOLUTION: DEEPLY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE MUST GOVERN 05:48  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 18/10/07
  19.   Arms smuggling to Gaza 05:56  |  Sam Popack 18/10/07
  20.   To #2 05:59  |  Boris 18/10/07
  21.   Great Strategy Mubarak! Accuse The Accusor! 06:00  |  lagunageno 18/10/07
  22.   IDF troops behind arms smuggling to Gaza 06:08  |  Jeff 18/10/07
  23.   We All Know That Egyptian And Israeli Bedouin Are Involved 06:11  |  Yishai Kohen 18/10/07
  24.   #12 The Egyptian facts, Shalom? 06:16  |  Johnboy 18/10/07
  25.   Damn if you do , damn if you don`t 06:31  |  Noam Prieto 18/10/07
  26.   If Egypt can`t control it, give it back to Israel 06:35  |  Jon 18/10/07
  27.   We have heard better jokes than this one coming out of Egypt 06:38  |  Genuine Tosefta 18/10/07
  28.   IDF collusion: When caught tell the big lie...Arab 06:41  |  dov epstein 18/10/07
  29.   to #4 Raffoul 06:45  |  Shmuelshachor 18/10/07
  30.   Cancel U.S. Aid To Egypt 06:48  |  lagunageno 18/10/07
  31.   #11 - Rowan 06:50  |  JES 18/10/07
  32.   #23 - Johnboy, pure speculation on your part 06:53  |  JES 18/10/07
  33.   Egypt: Israel behind Hamas suicide bombings 07:05  |  Aladin 18/10/07
  34.   Johnboy 07:12  |  Zelkha 18/10/07
  35.   IDF sources: our cooperation with Hamas terrorists is excellent 07:21  |  monty python 18/10/07
  36.   EGYPT IS THE ENEMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 07:31  |  WARRIOR 18/10/07
  37.   Time to cut ALL U.S. arms/spare parts sales to Egypt 07:51  |  Dr. L. Brnd 18/10/07
  38.   Border Patrol! Five Years, and then retire! 08:09  |  Natallie Durson 18/10/07
  39.   Smuggling 08:27  |  Matthew 18/10/07
  40.   #23johnboy and more hot air from the mirage capital 08:34  |  victor hardman 18/10/07
  41.   Rowan Berkely 08:36  |  ConnieM. 18/10/07
  42.   Those Israeli soldiers are the problem 08:48  |  Joshua 18/10/07
  43.   Rowan #11 08:51  |  Joshua 18/10/07
  44.   EGYPT IS THE ENEMY, ANOTHER WAR IS AROUND THE CORNER, GET READY! 10:34  |  Mr. Ami Goldman 18/10/07
  45.   Israel is always... 10:35  |  Said 18/10/07
  46.   #32 Speculation? Of course it is JES 10:51  |  Johnboy 18/10/07
  47.   #34 Whizzzzzzz goes the message way over Zelkha`s head! 11:00  |  Johnboy 18/10/07
  48.   #39 Is that Paul Harris I hear ranting???? 11:01  |  Johnboy 18/10/07
  49.   IDF soldiers are actually nicer than you imagine 11:04  |  George Hall 18/10/07
  50.   No "black sheeps" in Israel....???? 11:26  |  Swiss (Dino) 18/10/07
  51.   A GOOD SIGN FOR MIDDLE EAST 11:36  |  indrajaya 18/10/07
  52.   Johnboy, I think a fellow Aussie disagrees with you. 11:44  |  George Hall 18/10/07
  53.   AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A NEW PEACE CONFERENCE ? 11:58  |  S.Hamfool 18/10/07
  54.   tunnels visited! not a myth 12:13  |  Harold 18/10/07
  55.   From Gaza 12:15  |  Hope 18/10/07
  56.   A GOOD SIGN FOR THE MIDDLE EAST LEBANON ATTACKS PAL CAMPS 12:18  |  Petra 18/10/07
  57.   #46 - Well Johnboy 12:20  |  JES 18/10/07
  58.   #12 Rowan and #24 Johnboy 12:20  |  Shlomo 18/10/07
  59.   #49 re: IDF soldiers 12:22  |  Petra 18/10/07
  60.   #42 Joshua YOUR MESSAGE MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL. 12:24  |  Petra 18/10/07
  61.   EGYPT ISNT DOING ENOUGH? EGYPT IS THE ONE DOING IT! 12:26  |  PalestniansAreA Myth 18/10/07
  62.   Border patrol for five years and then retire 12:27  |  Petra 18/10/07
  63.   #41 Connie YOU GIVE `EM HELL BABY!!!! 12:29  |  Petra 18/10/07
  64.   Said--I agree 12:33  |  Solid Jew 18/10/07
  65.   Dr.L. Brnd EXCELLENT POST!!!!! 12:33  |  Petra 18/10/07
  66.   REDICULOUS 12:37  |  Nicole 18/10/07
  67.   # 55 Hope from Gaza 12:39  |  Lynn 18/10/07
  68.   Johnboy @37 12:40  |  Zelkha 18/10/07
  69.   to Earl 12:43  |  Hilda 18/10/07
  70.   Israel s liar...as usually! 12:45  |  Collond 18/10/07
  71.   # 12 rowan 12:48  |  Lynn 18/10/07
  72.   # 67 12:51  |  Hope 18/10/07
  73.   #55 from Gaza YOU VOTED FOR HAMAS NOW YOU PAY 13:01  |  Petra 18/10/07
  74.   ISRAEL: check out if this one too is one of those "staged" lies! 13:07  |  Hard Talk 18/10/07
  75.   #61 Palestinians are not Myth you idiot 13:19  |  Tamir Palestine 18/10/07
  76.   johnboy`s TINY MIND creates "BIG FACTS" from SMALL PHOTO 13:28  |  CK Tan 18/10/07
  77.   The IDF should be charged with a corruption of power 13:49  |  Dutch 18/10/07
  78.   #72 to Hope from Gaza 13:57  |  Hastaroth 18/10/07