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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 07:18 25/10/2007 Rice: U.S. to check Israeli claims Egypt-Gaza smuggling persists By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that the U.S. is planning to send senior officials to examine Israel's complaints that the smuggling of arms, equipment and persons from Egypt into the Hamas controlled Gaza Strip, continues. Rice said that the smuggling activities are a grave concern and reiterated what she told her Egyptian counterpart Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit two weeks ago about the need to do more, and "urgently." The Bush administration is concerned about the continued flow of arms into Gaza and is under constant pressure from Israel and its friends in Congress, calling on the administration to do more to convince Egypt to prevent the smuggling. Advertisement At least in public, Egypt is refusing to accept responsibility for the smuggling. American officials who will visit the area will try to determine the goings-on on both sides of the border. Haaretz has learned that next week Robert Danin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, will travel to the border area between Israel and Egypt. Danin will visit the IDF Southern Command and will cross the border for a meeting with Egyptian officers. His visit is likely to be followed by others, including the possibility of U.S. army officers coming to examine the military aspects of the issue. The administration is also worried about the political effect that the issue is having on relations with Cairo and also on bilateral relations between Israel and Egypt. Last week, Haaretz reported that an Egyptian delegation to Congress blamed Israeli soldiers for being in cahoots with smugglers on the border. The Bush administration is keen to understand the root of the problem, specifically why the Egyptians have approached the smuggling with a weak hand. Related articles Israel worried Egypt will allow terrorists to enter the Gaza Strip Rice says 2-state solution in Middle East in jeopardy Egypt: IDF soldiers are aiding arms smuggling to Gaza Strip Rice: Israel and PA clinch deal on Gaza-Egypt border crossing Bookmark to del.icio.us For their grandparents Many young Israelis are honoring their grandparents' pre-Shoah communities. Something fishy here... Amnon Levy's candid camera show catches frozen fish importer adjusting sell-by dates.   1.   under constant pressure from Israel and its friends in Congress 05:57  |  Silvienne 25/10/07   2.   RETAKE GAZA, SINAI, DON`T WAIT FOR CONDI TO CHECK,SHE IS BUSY)))) 06:07  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 25/10/07   3.   Rice needs to be taken to task since she arranged this insanity 07:12  |  Genuine Tosefta 25/10/07   4.   #1, Silvienne 07:14  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 25/10/07   5.   Condi, your house is the messiest on the planet 08:30  |  Natallie Durson 25/10/07   6.   NOT SMUGGLED. EGYPT IS OPENLY BEHIND HAMAS TO DESTROY ISRAEL 09:19  |  Alon chiloni 25/10/07   7.   THERE WILL NEVER BE A"PAL" STATE 09:33  |  WARRIOR 25/10/07   8.   "a grave concern", it`s about time you got THE message, Sec. Rice 10:32  |  Pavel 25/10/07   9.   Just ask Egypt Rice 10:35  |  Jasmine Murphy 25/10/07   10.   #1 Silvienne -Cry me a river 18:39  |  * BEN JABO 25/10/07   11.   #4, Cipora 18:45  |  Silvienne 25/10/07   12.   #11 Silvienne to Cipora 22:34  |  * BEN JABO 25/10/07   13.   #4, Cipora... 23:39  |  Silvienne 25/10/07   14.   #10, Ben Jabo...no more tears.. 23:46  |  Silvienne 25/10/07   15.   Rice is coming 23:59  |  * BEN JABO 25/10/07

Today Online Shmuel Rosner: Going to Jerusalem by way of Baghdad Responses: 66 Gaza power cuts in days; PA seeks int'l intervention Responses: 199 FM behind closed doors: Threat of Iran nukes is exaggerated Responses: 169 Shin Bet blocked Palestinian cancer patient from treatment Responses: 239 Israel Harel: The 'human shield' practice can save lives Responses: 135 Rosner's Domain * Republican leaders aren't happy with Bush's peace process * Is Haaretz really better than the New York Times? * WTR: A Syrian nuclear plan has a kind of logic * Poll: Were you convinced that the surge is working? More Headlines 07:58 Three militants killed, two IDF troops wounded in Gaza Strip 09:34 Palestinians set fire to West Bank synagogue for second time 07:30 Analysts: Syria cleared site hit by IAF, apparently to hide evidence 04:58 Olmert, Abbas to discuss gaps on framework for peace summit 06:44 Archbishop of Canterbury to visit Israel, meet chief rabbis 06:26 ANALYSIS: Israel's real intention behind sanctions on Gaza Strip 07:32 PA seeks int'l intervention as Gaza power cuts imminent 02:46 Russian officials, in Israel, downplay Iranian nuke threat 05:42 Some of PM's defense talks before last year's war went unrecorded Previous Editions Select Day 25 oct 24 oct 23 oct 22 oct 21 oct 19 oct 18 oct 17 oct 16 oct 15 oct 14 oct 12 oct

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