Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., January 05, 2008 Tevet 27, 5768 | | Israel Time: 19:39 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Magazine

Gazans attend a Hamas rally Saturday to urge Egypt to open the Rafah border crossing to pilgrims returning from the annual hajj. (Reuters) Last update - 08:32 31/12/2007 Palestinians: IDF kills Gazan woman, hurts 4 others en route from hajj By News Agencies Tags: Israel, Gaza Strip, Hamas  At least one Palestinian was killed and four others were wounded by gunfire while crossing from Israel into the Gaza Strip on Sunday after completing the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Palestinian medics said. The medical workers said the pilgrims had been hit by Israel Defense Forces gunfire at the Erez crossing on the northern Gaza border. Witnesses said soldiers first fired into the air and then at the crowd of pilgrims. An IDF spokeswoman said the army was not aware of any shooting in the area. Advertisement Palestinian officials said about 700 pilgrims had crossed back into Gaza on Sunday, having returned from Saudi Arabia via Jordan. Earlier this month, Israel agreed to let about 900 Gaza pilgrims travel through Israeli territory en route to Mecca. Egypt moves stranded Palestinian pilgrims to Sinai camps A separate group of more than 1,000 Palestinian pilgrims, including members of the Hamas militant group, protested Sunday, refusing Egyptian attempts to move them into camps in Sinai until a dispute over how they will return to the Gaza Strip is resolved. Unlike the group that traveled to Mecca through Israel, those pilgrims traveled to Mecca through the Rafah crossing on the Egypt border after Cairo agreed to let let them pass through. The standoff is the latest outbreak of tensions over efforts by Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian Authority to isolate the Gaza Strip since Hamas took over the tiny coastal strip in June. Egypt has kept its Rafah border crossing with Gaza closed, a move seen as supporting Hamas' rival, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. But Egypt is also sensitive over criticism that it is helping worsen the humanitarian situation in impoverished Gaza. At the same time, Egypt has come under increasing criticism from Israel, which accuses it of not doing enough to stop smuggling of weapons and money through Sinai tunnels into Gaza. Egypt has angrily denied the accusations, insisting it is doing all it can. The standoff over the pilgrims began Saturday, when some 3,060 Palestinians returning from the hajj in Saudi Arabia arrived by ferry at the Egyptian Red Sea port of Nuweiba in southern Sinai, heading back to Gaza. The pilgrims, along with Hamas, have rejected Egyptian attempts to have them return through the Israel Defense Forces-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing in Israel, fearing that the IDF will arrest Hamas members among them. Israel, in turn, fears that if the pilgrims are allowed to return to Gaza through Rafah - where Israel has no control - Hamas militants might get through and sympathizers could smuggle cash to Hamas in Gaza. Egypt on Sunday decided to move the pilgrims to 11 temporary camps set up outside the Mediterranean coastal city of el-Arish, where they would stay until the dispute is resolved, a security official said. Hamas condemned the decision to move the pilgrims into the tents. "This is additional suffering for the pilgrims," the group said in a statement released in Gaza, saying the tents will lead to a humanitarian and health crisis. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Sunday that his country was doing everything it could to resolve the crisis and said inflammatory rhetoric only makes the job more difficult. "We face a very critical situation because it is being said that they (the pilgrims) could carry prohibited things (into Gaza)," Mubarak told reporters in Cairo. Related articles: Egypt: Livni should keep quiet on arms smuggling into Gaza Strip Israel worried Egypt will allow terrorists to enter the Gaza Strip Report: Egypt let Haniyeh bring $20 million into Gaza via Rafah Bookmark to del.icio.us   A second visit? Peres invites Bush to visit Israel in May for Independence Day. After Iowa Is there room for both McCain and Giuliani's campaigns?   1.   Bring in the UN we have another refugee problem (sic) 13:34  |  G 30/12/07   2.   The good Egyptians will wait for the opportunity to shaft Israel 13:52  |  Figaro 30/12/07   3.   Two things Haaretz handily ignores 14:17  |  David Teich 30/12/07   4.   Hard to believe that Egypt was once the great nation of history 14:20  |  Natallie Durson 30/12/07   5.   To: Natallie Durson 14:53  |  Ruth 30/12/07   6.   Another Israeli crime! 14:57  |  redmike 30/12/07   7.   Palestinians in El-Arish 15:34  |  Al 30/12/07   8.   2. well we certainly hope so and about time 15:48  |  muslim 30/12/07   9.   #6 - and this is a crime because......? 16:02  |  Steve 30/12/07   10.   Egypt enforces rules - Durson complains. 16:16  |  Steve 30/12/07   11.   # 5 and still you are trying the same 16:18  |  Kris 30/12/07   12.   Nut a lee lives in L.A. Biggest JEWISH poulation in the States. 16:43  |  Petra 30/12/07   13.   These "pilgrims" obviously have something to hide 17:01  |  Conroy 30/12/07   14.   13. being just palestinian can land you in jail according 17:09  |  muslim 30/12/07   15.   Isn`t there a passage in the Torah 17:12  |  Petra 30/12/07   16.   # 5 Ruth about the facts you ignored 17:15  |  Petra 30/12/07   17.   12. petre dish supports zion from safe distance 17:22  |  here`s looking at yo 30/12/07   18.   To Ruth No. 5 on Natallie Durson 17:52  |  Neil 30/12/07   19.   They complain about Israel. 18:46  |  Dr David I. Gross 30/12/07   20.   19. dear gross? please read articl again 19:56  |  muslim 30/12/07   21.   #18 Neil/Ruth 20:32  |  Séamus 30/12/07   22.   More IDF Terrorism. This time murdering a woman? 00:05  |  POP 31/12/07   23.   Haaretz prefers publishing personal attacks. 00:10  |  Andreas 31/12/07   24.   Gazans using internation donations to fly to Mecca? 00:46  |  Richard S 31/12/07   25.   did someone ask why muslims returning from hajj would avoid Erez? 00:52  |  muslim 31/12/07   26.   23. Richard we are required to go to hajj 01:40  |  muslim 31/12/07   27.   POP#22 - where`s the proof?? 01:48  |  William 31/12/07   28.   And you were being such good boys... 02:27  |  Colin Wright 31/12/07   29.   Tsk! tsk! tsk! Poor Pagans 02:29  |  Cristo 31/12/07   30.   POP 02:40  |  More IDF blessings! 31/12/07   31.   re Conroy #13 03:09  |  Colin Wright 31/12/07   32.   Muslim: and why is their food not getting to Gazans? 03:15  |  Richard S 31/12/07   33.   30. such a clever joo fake pop 03:38  |  no shame? 31/12/07   34.   27. scroll up william the funny joo 03:43  |  you fool 31/12/07   35.   30. IDF blessing: do you think the world does not see your racism 03:47  |  muslim 31/12/07   36.   Exchange them with Shalit , Increase the Heat against Hamas 04:23  |  Joseph E . 31/12/07   37.   RE #19 Mubarak has his own probs Dr Gross... 04:42  |  MaryRose 31/12/07   38.   Everyone out of touch except Natallie 04:45  |  Tom C 31/12/07   39.   Very well, revenge for the killing of the 2 Jewish pilgrims yeste 04:51  |  Genuine Tosefta 31/12/07   40.   Praise Israel/Egypt for permitting them to do Hajj in the first p 04:56  |  Genuine Tosefta 31/12/07   41.   Muslim#25 - ahh, the great debate 05:11  |  William 31/12/07   42.   Muslim`s wishes#35 05:16  |  William 31/12/07   43.   Muslim - Diaspra 05:38  |  Dr David I.Gross 31/12/07   44.   26 Moslem There is no time requirement for Hajj 06:28  |  Joo 31/12/07   45.   #35 muslim 07:33  |  danny 31/12/07   46.   muslim achievements for 2007 09:40  |  hebro 31/12/07   47.   These IDF are likely among those pushed back by Hizbollah 11:04  |  Natallie Durson 31/12/07   48.   From the Israli Official Liar 11:05  |  Clickfool 31/12/07   49.   For Andreas on Haaretz` Shin Bet agents # 23 11:22  |  Clickfool 31/12/07   50.   For Natallie Durson, on bravery # 47 11:29  |  Clickfool 31/12/07   51.   "Temporary camps" have we heard that one before? 11:53  |  Hakim 31/12/07   52.   51: As you show, Hakim 19:20  |  David Teich 05/01/08

Today Online Amos Harel: Israel is not the only one exercising restraint Responses: 206 Ramon: Crackdown on outposts likely to start after Bush visit Responses: 163 Wiesenthal Center calls on UN to focus on suicide bombings Responses: 319 Editorial: The IDF is an army that has ceased to function as an army Responses: 226 Qassam rocket strikes Sderot, damaging homes and cars Responses: 152 Rosner's Domain Is there room for both McCain and Giuliani? New poll: Obama, Huckabee, who's better for Israel? The Judaism of Alicia Silverstone (WTR) Rosner's Guest: How to raise Jewish children The green line is turning red More Headlines 15:15 Vilnai: I'd support freeing Barghouti for Gilad Shalit 18:15 Qassam rocket fired from Gaza strikes Sderot, damaging homes and cars 19:09 IDF withdraws from Nablus after 3-day operation in W. Bank city 16:56 Hamas: Bush is not welcome in Mideast, aims to shore up occupation 17:09 Replica of Anne Frank annex opens inside Liverpool church 15:21 American basketballer held for injuring man after T.A. bar fight 15:22 PMO: Holocaust survivors will get stipends within two weeks 07:00 After Iowa: Is there room for both McCain and Giuliani? 06:58 Sinai lawmaker calls for calm after Bedouin man shot outside his home near the Israeli border 19:05 Poll: Fatah losing support among West Bank, Gaza Palestinians Previous Editions Select Day 04 jan 03 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 28 dec 27 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec

Special Offers Advertisement Inbal Jerusalem Hotel Unbeatable rates at the Finest hotel in Jerusalem Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! AMERICANS ONE MONTH LEFT US citizen in Israel beat online Democrats-Abroad Presidential Primary deadline.

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |