Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., January 04, 2008 Tevet 26, 5768 | | Israel Time: 06:08 (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

Palestinian pilgrims in el-Arish on Monday. (AP) Last update - 20:51 01/01/2008 Palestinian pilgrims in Egypt threaten hunger strike over Gaza return By AP Tags: Israel, Egypt, Palestinians  A senior Hamas official among thousands of Palestinian pilgrims stranded in Egypt threatened Tuesday the group would begin a hunger strike unless they be allowed to return to the Gaza Strip through a border crossing not controlled by Israel. Ayman Taha's threat came a day after some of the pilgrims housed in temporary shelters in northern Sinai burned mattresses and broke windows, protesting Egypt's refusal to let them enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing. Hamas officials among the more than 3,000 pilgrims who recently completed the hajj in Saudi Arabia, fear they will be arrested if they return through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing. Advertisement Taha said Tuesday that he has been negotiating with Egyptian officials, who he claimed have finally agreed to let the Palestinians through Rafah. "We received promises from the Egyptians that they are letting us through Rafah, otherwise we will start a hunger strike," he said, speaking on the telephone from the southern Sinai port city of Nuweiba. Egyptian officials declined to comment Taha's claim. They have said they are doing everything they can to resolve the crisis. Israel fears that if the pilgrims return using the Rafah crossing, Hamas militants might get through and sympathizers could smuggle cash to the radical Islamic group, which seized control of Gaza in June. The standoff began Saturday when the pilgrims arrived by ferry from Jordan, landing in the Egyptian port of Nuweiba. It's the latest outbreak of tensions over efforts by Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian Authority to isolate Hamas-controlled Gaza. Most of the pilgrims are believed to be ordinary citizens, but there are at least 10 well-known Hamas figures among them, including Taha and Khalil al-Haya. A Palestinian woman died of a heart attack during angry protests Monday, as pilgrims smashed windows and set fire to several mattresses and blankets in their rooms. The mood among them was still defiant Tuesday. "How can we hand ourselves in to the Israelis?" said Mohammed Darwish, as the 32-year-old Palestinian government employee sat in one of the temporary shelters near el-Arish. "Our demand is very legitimate and they can search us if they have any concerns." Darwish performed the hajj with his wife, mother and sister, leaving his two sons and daughters at home in the Gaza Strip. "They phone me everyday and ask me when we will be back and I have no answer," he added. Many of the pilgrims have protested by refusing to get off the buses that drove them from Nuweiba to el-Arish. "I sleep in the bus. I won't sleep in their shelters," said 60-year-old Maha al-Kara. "I would prefer we die here rather than hand our sons over to the Israelis." Egypt has come under increasing criticism from Israel, which accuses it of not doing enough to stop arms and money smuggling into Gaza. Cairo is also sensitive to claims it is helping worsen the humanitarian situation in impoverished Gaza. Related articles: Palestinians: IDF kills Gazan woman, hurts 4 others en route from hajj Hamas: Egypt agrees to allow Gazan pilgrims to return through Rafah Bookmark to del.icio.us   Pre-Iowa Israel Factor The panel certain that Clinton is the better Democratic candidate for Israel. The Jewish connection Jeremy Goldberg works to connect Barack Obama with Jewish voters.   1.   dont make every one laugh ! hunger strike ! 23:37  |  victor hardman 01/01/08   2.   Stay in Egypt 00:40  |  Avrum 02/01/08   3.   Wow! We all thought that there was already widespread Gaza hunger 00:47  |  Genuine Tosefta 02/01/08   4.   these people are either stupid or smugglers 01:05  |  garrick 02/01/08   5.   That`s the Pagan way of like, better die for 05:19  |  Cristo 04/01/08

Today Online Sneh: J'lem has no knowledge of Hezbollah holding troop remains Responses: 235 Jerusalem seeks Bush's okay for IDF free hand in W. Bank Responses: 202 Amira Hass: Israel's West Bank presence is violent and arrogant Responses: 195 Israel Factor panel knows Clinton, wants Clinton win in Iowa Responses: 53 IDF fire kills eight in Gaza; Katyusha hits Ashkelon Responses: 297 Rosner's Domain Iowa caucus: Here come the tribal leaders Factor panel: Better for Israel if Clinton wins Iowa Guest: Is it important for American Jews to learn Hebrew? Obama, Huckabee widen leads in Iowa, but anything could happen WTR Des Moines edition: If McCain goes up, down goes Giuliani More Headlines 04:22 Barak mulls calling for elections by end of 2008 03:33 PA forces uncover Hamas explosives lab in Nablus 04:02 Ashkelon decides against activating rocket alarm system 05:46 Analysis: Katyusha in Ashkelon / The other side is cautious too 22:09 Campaigner works to connect Obama with Jewish voters 23:40 Bush: Settlement expansion 'impediment' to peace 06:01 Lethal strain of avian flu found in Binyamina kindergarten 01:38 Court gives IDF green light to build bases in Negev 01:52 Swimmers protest destruction of Tel Aviv's Gordon swimming pool Previous Editions Select Day 03 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 28 dec 27 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec 21 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 |

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved