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A Palestinian at a Hamas rally to urge Egypt to let in 2,000 Palestinians through Rafah. (Reuters) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 23:47 29/12/2007 Hamas: Egypt agrees to allow Gazan pilgrims to return through Rafah By The Associated Press Tags: Gaza Strip, Egypt, Hajj  A Hamas spokesman in Gaza said the group is close to an with Egypt that would allow some two thousand Palestinian pilgrims who arrived in Egypt Saturday to cross back into Gaza through the Rafah crossing. Earlier Saturday the pilgrims protested Egyptian demands that they return to the Gaza Strip through an Israel Defense Forces-controlled border crossing, security officials and pilgrims said. Advertisement The Palestinians, who recently finished their pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, arrived on two ferries at the port city of Nuweiba on the Sinai Peninsula from Jordan, an Egyptian security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. Senior Hamas officials among the pilgrims have resisted Egyptian attempts to have them enter through the Israeli-controlled Aouja crossing, fearing arrest, the Egyptian security official said. Al-Jazeera television aired interviews with the pilgrims before they left Jordan in which they showed a paper Egypt allegedly asked them to sign saying they would to return to Gaza through Aouja. Israeli officials have said the Egyptians agreed to have the pilgrims use the Aouja crossing after Defense Minister Ehud Barak's recent visit to Egypt. Israel fears that if the pilgrims are allowed to return to Gaza through the Rafah crossing, which is outside the country's control, they could smuggle money to Hamas. Senior Palestinian officials dismissed Israel's concerns, saying the Egyptians could search the pilgrims for smuggled cash. Hamas government spokesman Taher Nunu said Saturday that 1,900 pilgrims are caught in limbo at sea and urged Egypt to urgently end their plight. "We in the government and the people refuse to use (the Israeli) crossing. The pilgrims have the right to return the same way they exited," he said. "Israelis raise trivial issues and complicate things to cover up criticism over continued construction of settlements," said Mohammed Sobeih, the Arab League's undersecretary general. The standoff angered Hamas, who said Egypt has a responsibility to bring the pilgrims back to Gaza as quickly as possible. In Gaza late Friday, angry Hamas loyalists fired their guns in the air and lobbed sound bombs in protest of Egypt's actions. The rioting was quickly quelled by Hamas security. Hamas lawmaker Yehia Moussa said Egypt has a moral obligation to bring the pilgrims back home. "We demand an immediate end to the situation before we get to popular reactions with undesired consequences," he said. Moussa said that his words did not constitute a threat, but that the public has the right to protest and revolt against the policy. Related articles: Israel agrees to let 900 Gazans enter en route to Hajj in Mecca PA miffed at Egyptian-Saudi deal with Hamas over hajj pilgrims Israel allows 199 Palestinians who reside abroad to leave Gaza Bookmark to del.icio.us Au revoir Assad Sarkozy says he'll cut ties with Syria over the Lebanon presidential crisis. Women march on Women in Black marks its 20th year, but the occupation continues.   1.   Egypt should open Rafah Crossing with Hamas and stop non sense 16:07  |  Muslim 29/12/07   2.   Muslim 17:16  |  Iz Ray Leigh 29/12/07   3.   Pilgrims my arse 17:19  |  dyinglikeflies 29/12/07   4.   I would agree with you, Muslim 17:26  |  Jew 29/12/07   5.   this is why israel is not a democracy 2 state will never work 18:01  |  annoyed 29/12/07   6.   2. we are perfectly aware that US buys zion friends 18:19  |  muslim 29/12/07   7.   Oscar for trampling on human rights? 18:28  |  Frank 29/12/07   8.   Peace process 18:33  |  Frank 29/12/07   9.   They are not trapped, they are at home in Egypt 18:51  |  Genuine Tosefta 29/12/07   10.   # 1 muslim...Unfortunately it was the gov in the West Bank 19:03  |  Lynn 29/12/07   11.   Frank...if you think back a couple of weeks 19:07  |  Lynn 29/12/07   12.   10. quizling in PA have same paymster as zion 19:17  |  muslim 29/12/07   13.   They have picked up $150 MM in Saudi Arabia and want to bring it 19:21  |  Massoud Levy 29/12/07   14.   hey muslim,we in america are perfectly aware of how 19:23  |  terrornator 29/12/07   15.   whats up lynn,hope you had a merry christmas 19:27  |  terrornator 29/12/07   16.   annoyed in London, Did u have your aftenoon tea yet?? 19:30  |  Massoud Levy 29/12/07   17.   Dear Lynn! 19:41  |  Frank 29/12/07   18.   Are you all idiots?? 19:46  |  Larry 29/12/07   19.   15.zio terronator speaks for America? 19:57  |  muslim 29/12/07   20.   I love watching Muslims use the lives of their fellow Muslims 20:07  |  Jew 29/12/07   21.   muslim # 12 how does that crow taste?it`s funny how all you 20:18  |  terrornator 29/12/07   22.   20. i bet you do joooooo 20:29  |  muslim 29/12/07   23.   yes muslim i speak for america and i`m so proud,i could almost 20:36  |  terrornator 29/12/07   24.   Pilgrims ? These are devout Muslims! 20:40  |  redmike 29/12/07   25.   #5 - Egypt has stopped them and not Israel! 20:45  |  redmike 29/12/07   26.   no 16 massoud levy = liar 20:49  |  annoyed 29/12/07   27.   Haj Pilgrims? 21:04  |  Rav Harley 29/12/07   28.   #10 it may be true that PA works for zion but not 21:30  |  Trembling Palestine 29/12/07   29.   23. terronator is a bafoon 21:37  |  muslim 29/12/07   30.   # 18 larry, well said 21:38  |  dan 29/12/07   31.   25. duhhh? mike? with the red eyes? 21:42  |  muslim 29/12/07   32.   27. to biggoted rav harley 21:43  |  muslim 29/12/07   33.   # 26, annoyed 21:52  |  dan 29/12/07   34.   "I want to return to Gaza unchecked by Israel". 22:12  |  Fortuna Benmayor 29/12/07   35.   Rav Harley 22:36  |  Gina 29/12/07   36.   To Good Buddy Muslim!!! 22:54  |  Larry 29/12/07   37.   The US needs to force Egypt to stop all smuggling 23:00  |  zionisy 29/12/07   38.   Iran and Saudi Arabia 23:00  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/12/07   39.   Let those people thru & stop this nonsense 23:02  |  dutch 29/12/07   40.   They them out... 00:24  |  Nemesis 30/12/07   41.   so adamant and happy to go back into their "Gaza prison" ? 00:51  |  UNWRA 30/12/07   42.   Egypt agrees to allow Gazan pilgrims to return through Rafah!! 00:56  |  muslim 30/12/07   43.   34. dimwitted larry with the long stupid lecture 00:58  |  muslim 30/12/07   44.   #23 terrornator. The real joker is... 01:01  |  Maureen Ann 30/12/07   45.   36. yes Cipora the mentally challenged and? 01:05  |  i ain`t lying 30/12/07   46.   to # 32 fortuna, I have the answer to your question 01:50  |  Dan 30/12/07   47.   FDR SAVED YOUR A--- 03:52  |  Tobia 30/12/07   48.   Poor Mussies, they missed circumnavigating 03:49  |  Cristo 31/12/07

Today Online PM spokesman says Israel taking bin Laden threat seriously Responses: 402 Pinpointed IAF attacks in Gaza more precise, hurt fewer civilians Responses: 165 Harel and Issacharoff: Nipping new Jewish terror group in the bud Responses: 123 Women in Black marks 20th year, but occupation continues Responses: 80 France to cut ties to Syria over Lebanese presidential crisis Responses: 71 Rosner's Domain "Let us hope the peace process will be failure" (WTR) Rosner's Guest: Jennifer Moses on namby-pamby Judaism As foreign policy becomes more dominant in the campaign, Israel will draw closer to its center Poll: The most likely event to happen in 2008 More Headlines 00:40 Palestinians: IDF kills Gazan en route from hajj 03:34 Study: Number of Palestinians killed by IDF dropped 43% in '07 04:22 Striking lecturers aim to get university presidents to resign 02:30 Number of 'large families' rises, despite welfare payment cuts 01:59 Arab pupils lag behind Jewish peers in reading comprehension 20:42 Iranian envoy offers Egypt cooperation on nuclear program 01:45 Surviving hiker recounts Friday`s shooting attack in Hebron Hills 18:30 Comptroller aides: Bank Leumi case against Olmert still open 23:09 PM spokesman says Israel taking bin Laden threat seriously Previous Editions Select Day 30 dec 28 dec 27 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec 21 dec 20 dec 19 dec 18 dec 17 dec

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