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Last update - 02:00 27/01/2008 Double threat to peace By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Israel, Gaza, Hamas, Egypt For 34 years, since the separation of forces after the Yom Kippur War, the Israel-Egyptian front has been quiet. The peace agreement signed by Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin has been stable and firm for more than a quarter of a century, despite fluctuations of governments and conflicts on other fronts. Peace with Egypt is one of Israel's greatest strategic assets, although it is a cool peace. The entire Arab world followed it in moving ahead toward coming to terms with Israel. Over the past week danger has hung over this peace. Events on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt threaten to tear the delicate fabric of Cairo-Jerusalem relations. At the same time, they also jeopardize the yet-to-be-attained peace between Israel and the Palestinians, at a fragile moment in the process the Bush administration is trying to drive forward. If Egypt does get a grip on the situation and resolve the problem of the breached border between the two parts of Rafah, the hope of moving ahead with an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement this year could shatter. The situation on the Israel-Egypt border will escalate unless joint action can keep the terror that has seeped from Gaza into Sinai from spreading into the Negev and the rest of Israel. The alert announced in the south, including the closure of the border to travelers this weekend, reflects the seriousness of the situation. In the next stage Israel might have to decide how to prevent terror attacks plotted by Palestinians on Egyptian soil, at the fateful point before their perpetrators disappear on their way to Israel. It is not the question of responsibility for the deterioration of the situation that is before us - all parties share in that. Egypt was adamant in advance that its peace with Israel would not be a separate peace, and that Israel would have to solve its conflict with the Palestinians. Israel's stance regarding Egypt's status in the Gaza Strip has undergone extreme transformations. Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza combined desirable steps (the evacuation of settlements) with problematic ones (the abandonment of sites in northern Gaza from which missiles could be launched at the northern Negev as well as the Philadephi Route, contrary to the security appendix to the agreement with Egypt). Advertisement The ongoing Egyptian failure to seal the border with Gaza, in addition to the immediate threat of terror that has already set out from Gaza to Sinai, will push Israel against its will into a costly and continual military operation in the Rafah area. Such an operation will not only cost many Israeli and Palestinian lives but will also make it very difficult for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to continue the peace process. The helplessness of the Egyptian government, out of fear of projecting a harsh image toward the Palestinian population (in contrast to the Hamas government), is understandable but not justifiable. A country has the right to prevent mass infiltration into its territory, as in the case of the United States with Mexico. When regional peace comes to the Middle East, of the kind that exists among the countries of the European Union, the internal borders will also be opened. At the Annapolis conference, President George W. Bush dictated that there would be meetings every two weeks between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders. The crisis in the south has changed the priorities. An immediate summit is needed between Egypt's president and Israel's prime minister, with or without a senior U.S. presence, to administer emergency treatment of the threats to peace. Bookmark to del.icio.us   'British Oskar Schindler' Nicholas Winton, who saved 669 Jewish children during the Holocaust, is up for the Nobel. Pride of Israel Tennis: Shahar Peer beats Russia's Dinara Safina to give Israel 1-0 lead in the Fed Cup.   1.   Bibi Predicted All Of This - Haaretz Called Him "Anti-Peace" 05:49  |  Tod Zuckerman 27/01/08   2.   Easier said than done 07:31  |  Reality 27/01/08   3.   How is peace possible if one is always talking about annihilation 07:52  |  The Archives 27/01/08   4.   Leave the occupied teritories 09:18  |  John 27/01/08   5.   JOHN Which "occupied territories" will satisfy Hamas 10:33  |  PETER SM 27/01/08   6.   NOT in Egypts interests to allow Moslem brotherhood terrorists in 10:45  |  PETER SM 27/01/08   7.   Gaza border breach NOT the CAUSE of Israel-Egypt tensions 10:54  |  Abir 27/01/08   8.   The war never really ended. Only the open hostilities ended. 11:10  |  Natallie Durson 27/01/08   9.   Er...what "terror"? 11:10  |  Clickfool 27/01/08   10.   John 11:11  |  Mark 27/01/08   11.   Re Tod #1 11:17  |  Esther 27/01/08   12.   Let See Egypt Give These Arabs Citizenship , Jobs , Housing 11:22  |  Joseph . E 27/01/08   13.   Egypt must re-assert its authority 11:22  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/01/08   14.   Why shouldn`t Egypt help in such great prison break-out? 11:30  |  dana 27/01/08   15.   CFOOL.Your evidence that all Gazans have returned?? 11:51  |  PETER SM 27/01/08   16.   The scapegoat programme of anti semites for 1800 years 11:54  |  v hardman 27/01/08   17.   editorial from hell 12:04  |  sev 27/01/08   18.   re 8 hostilities 12:06  |  mark 27/01/08   19.   Immediate summit is a legitimate demand 12:17  |  Rowan Berkeley 27/01/08   20.   how convenient to blame Egypt 12:40  |  Leona 27/01/08   21.   Mr.John 12:43  |  Baruch 27/01/08   22.   It is high time, very high time that people realized that the 12:45  |  Ruti 27/01/08   23.   terror that has seeped from Gaza into Sinai?? 13:09  |  eric 27/01/08   24.   For Peter SM # 15 13:13  |  Clickfool 27/01/08   25.   Keep the "TERROR" 13:23  |  Natan 27/01/08   26.   LEONA "starves the people" photos pleae?Which part of NO PEACE-- 13:32  |  PETER SM 27/01/08   27.   To Peter SM #15: Watch Out For Fake Clickfool 13:43  |  Clickfool 27/01/08   28.   Peter (6), Mubarak has lost. Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood 14:12  |  Karl 27/01/08   29.   PeterSM #26 14:29  |  facts of matter 27/01/08   30.   We all want peace 14:38  |  Clickfool 27/01/08   31.   #22 Ruti, the shortcomings of SCR 242 14:39  |  Ben Alofs 27/01/08   32.   13. dear cipora. why not UN or arab 14:54  |  bozhidar balkas 27/01/08   33.   Peace with Egypt? 14:58  |  Brod 27/01/08   34.   To #13 Cipora Julianna Kohn 15:01  |  Velvl Shmerlson 27/01/08   35.   Muslims/Egyptians turn `brothers` away... 15:01  |  Joe 27/01/08   36.   jewish critics of arab world or making 15:06  |  bozhidar balkas 27/01/08   37.   #23 eric the absract artist finds this entity 15:19  |  v hardman 27/01/08   38.   Peace is on it`s way 15:24  |  Clickfool 27/01/08   39.   #21 dr ben has nevr heard of san remo or the mandate 15:49  |  v hardman 27/01/08   40.   Egypt and the Arab refugees problem. 15:53  |  Harold Lane 27/01/08   41.   Israel,...... from King to Pawn.! 16:09  |  Stephen. 27/01/08   42.   hardman you should be pleased by headline 16:23  |  itzik 27/01/08   43.   PEACE WITH ISRAEL HAD NEVER EXIST 16:25  |  indrajaya 27/01/08   44.   Reckless policy produces bad results 16:28  |  Mark Lincoln 27/01/08   45.   # 36 bozhidar.....socializing one`s citizens 16:40  |  Lynn 27/01/08   46.   #8 Natlie is correct. Israel gave up the Sinai for nothing. 16:44  |  Chaim 27/01/08   47.   # 34 Vevl...Cipora has a point 16:45  |  Lynn 27/01/08   48.   Karl and Peter SM....Egypt arrested 16:48  |  Lynn 27/01/08   49.   Ruti and Ben, 22 and 31 about Resolution 242 16:53  |  Albert 27/01/08   50.   Cut-and- Paste Fake Clickfool is back (pointlessly) # 27 17:22  |  Clickfool 27/01/08   51.   dana in sunnyvale,it wasn`t just israel who decided not to talk 17:27  |  terrornator 27/01/08   52.   Lynn 17:34  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/01/08   53.   Typo error: missing word "NOT" 17:39  |  Avi Rabinowitz 27/01/08   54.   leona #20 "the hatred created by 40 years of occupation",actually 17:40  |  terrornator 27/01/08   55.   # 23 eric what would it take for you to be convinced that the 17:46  |  terrornator 27/01/08   56.   #42 itzik and history do not meet on equal terms 17:55  |  v hardman 27/01/08   57.   I think Justifiable 17:55  |  Ahmose The Egyptian 27/01/08   58.   # 4 John 17:59  |  Christian Van Nieker 27/01/08   59.   Natalie Durson and Clickthefool 18:12  |  Christian Van Nieker 27/01/08   60.   Ben Alofs 18:21  |  Danite 27/01/08   61.   Relax 18:24  |  Danite 27/01/08   62.   For the First Time I totally Agree! 18:25  |  Sharif Hafez 27/01/08   63.   Mark Lincoln 18:26  |  Danite 27/01/08   64.   Rescue the peace by a few honest amendments 18:27  |  de d 27/01/08   65.   #49 Albert 18:27  |  Ben Alofs 27/01/08   66.   Egypt wants to destroy Israel 18:28  |  Robert 27/01/08   67.   Leona!!!! ???/ 18:32  |  de ds 27/01/08   68.   #65 dr ben and the world of mirrors 18:36  |  v hardman 27/01/08   69.   blind in one eye 18:49  |  ravi 27/01/08   70.   How Would A Summit With Egypt Benefit Israel? 18:52  |  Norman F Birnberg 27/01/08   71.   # Please see things in "Context"! 18:52  |  Sharif Hafez 27/01/08   72.   #57 ahmose the egyptian,,,,nice post! 19:12  |  terrornator 27/01/08   73.   Egypt has been a spoiler and unreliable partner 19:15  |  Marwan مروان خوري 27/01/08   74.   #44 MARK - TEXAS 19:33  |  Dr. Gideon Cohen 27/01/08   75.   # 20 Leona...Syria brought this on everyone 19:42  |  Lynn 27/01/08   76.   Got it backwards! Egypt violation of the peace caused Gaza mess 19:44  |  Dr. L. Brnd 27/01/08   77.   # 52 Margie...doesn`t make sense 19:46  |  Lynn 27/01/08   78.   to terrornator #72 19:49  |  Ahmose The Egyptian 27/01/08   79.   Egypt is weak 19:50  |  Elimelech 27/01/08   80.   # 57 Ahmose the Egyptian...please one question 19:51  |  Lynn 27/01/08   81.   # 66 Robert...not true!! 19:54  |  Lynn 27/01/08   82.   Sharif Haziz ...you have more common sense then most 19:57  |  Lynn 27/01/08   83.   # 62 Sharif....Hamas is not opposed to 20:03  |  Lynn 27/01/08   84.   # 76 Brnd...I think you have it wrong 20:08  |  Lynn 27/01/08   85.   Bungle in the jungle 20:14  |  tadchase 27/01/08   86.   To Lynn #80 20:23  |  Ahmose The Egyptian 27/01/08   87.   Your logic is sound Lynn 20:23  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/01/08   88.   Margie...now I know I am right 20:25  |  Lynn 27/01/08   89.   Who wrote this crap ???Egypt or other enemies of Israel?? 20:34  |  Sal 27/01/08   90.   i used to be an arab 20:39  |  Marwan مروان خوري 27/01/08   91.   Reply to Esther (#11) 20:46  |  Tod Zuckerman 27/01/08   92.   Double threat to peace 20:52  |  Dany Hadary 27/01/08   93.   EU level in the ME? 21:33  |  Kris 27/01/08   94.   What did Israel expect Gaza people to do? 21:41  |  Ali 27/01/08   95.   #76 Brnrd 21:46  |  ME 27/01/08   96.   I know it all 21:51  |  Marwan مر 27/01/08   97.   Egypt cannot deny its responsibilities 21:55  |  Voice of Reason 27/01/08   98.   # 86 Ahmose....If you look at what is going 22:30  |  Lynn 27/01/08   99.   Let the sunshine in! 22:46  |  Minda 27/01/08   100.   Blind peace as Egypt lets war materials into Gaza 22:59  |  sam 27/01/08   101.   end up Israel Starvation to the pals before Egypt seals the borde 22:59  |  Zaki 27/01/08   102.   CFOOL evading! Terror is completely consistent with Hamas! 23:15  |  PETER SM 27/01/08   103.   "FACTS of the matter" try reading the news.They have not stopped 23:20  |  PETER SM 27/01/08   104.   Karl .Lets see Mubarak is a seasoned survivor 23:23  |  PETER SM 27/01/08   105.   Confused yet again Peter SM 23:55  |  kiwi girl 27/01/08   106.   # 82 My Love to Egypt, not Mubarak, guides me 23:56  |  Sharif Hafez 27/01/08   107.   #90 and #96 Fake Marwan - coward hiding behind anonimity 23:57  |  Marwan مروان خوري 27/01/08   108.   Joseph E 00:04  |  kiwi girl 28/01/08   109.   Sharif Hafez #62, amazing 00:05  |  Palestinian Prince 28/01/08   110.   Ofcourse we all want peace 00:49  |  Clickfool 28/01/08   111.   Ali #94....Hamas and Syria, 01:13  |  Lynn 28/01/08   112.   Arab-Egypt inept? noooo,they just coloborated with Hamas to show 01:18  |  Cee 28/01/08   113.   # 106 Sharif Hafez....sorry I mangled your last name 01:23  |  Lynn 28/01/08   114.   Egypt Border 01:45  |  Israeli from Haifa 28/01/08   115.   KIWI Girl.ALL Israel claimed,in writing,by both Fatah& Hamas 01:45  |  PETER SM 28/01/08   116.   AHMOSE Remember when the Egyptian FM was beaten up by Pals ? 02:04  |  PETER SM 28/01/08   117.   Sharif Hafez.Please some details on Pals with suicide belts deep 02:17  |  PETER SM 28/01/08   118.   #106 Sharif Hafez 02:56  |  Mahmood Harndani 28/01/08   119.   #4 Not so fast not so simple... 03:04  |  Giora 28/01/08   120.   What is Slowman doing in the supermarket? 03:18  |  Edit Doub 28/01/08   121.   Problem with rokets and Hamas 03:27  |  Tim 28/01/08   122.   # 109 PETER SM....in Upper Egypt 03:30  |  Lynn 28/01/08   123.   #Sharif Hafez. Do you support... 03:34  |  Maureen Ann 28/01/08   124.   Lynn Iran uses the Israel card simply for Shia domination of M.E. 03:54  |  PETER SM 28/01/08   125.   Egypt Loves Peace, Egyptians are peaceful 04:26  |  Sami Abu Banat 28/01/08   126.   #4 John - your solution is NO solution 04:29  |  * BEN JABO 28/01/08   127.   Peace, this word has a nice sound to it. 04:42  |  Natalie Durson 28/01/08   128.   # 55 to terrornator 04:51  |  eric 28/01/08   129.   Apples to oranges 05:05  |  Bat Man 28/01/08   130.   Clickfool..Er what terror 05:19  |  George W. Bush 28/01/08   131.   Maureen Ann - Stop the cycle of evasion 05:35  |  * BEN JABO 28/01/08   132.   Well done, Egypt. Wrong, Haaretz. 06:03  |  Nick Ferriman 28/01/08   133.   Sharif Hafez and Mahmood Harndani 06:41  |  Reid 28/01/08   134.   Future blockades an act of war against Egypt 06:59  |  Pablo B 28/01/08   135.   #94 Ali, Israel simply didn`t think at all.... 07:44  |  Johnboy 28/01/08   136.   #34, Velvl Smerlson 07:51  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 28/01/08   137.   GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ISRAEL 07:56  |  US CITIZEN 28/01/08   138.   #128 nick up the pole as usual 09:07  |  v hardman 28/01/08   139.   For Peter SM, on evasion # 102 09:40  |  Clickfool 28/01/08   140.   For "George W.Bush" # 126 09:43  |  Clickfool 28/01/08   141.   CFOOL Evading.Hamas are opportunistic and consistent terrorists 10:01  |  PETER SM 28/01/08   142.   #132 Ferriman - I see you`re at it a again 17:40  |  * BEN JABO 28/01/08   143.   34# Velvi Sherlson. Do we have to care about 19:39  |  Akram Zekaria 28/01/08   144.   Dr.L. Brnd (76) simple answer to a simple question 01:43  |  Karl 29/01/08   145.   Dany (92) of course you are right. "NOT" is missing 01:48  |  Karl 29/01/08   146.   136# Cipora. Sadate was NOT a man of Peace. 02:33  |  Akram Zekaria 29/01/08   147.   # 146 to akram in LONDON 06:34  |  eric 29/01/08   148.   Eric - It`s your turn 00:26  |  * BEN JABO 30/01/08   149.   #139 Clickfool - you answers for everything (LOL) 00:28  |  * BEN JABO 30/01/08   150.   # 142 Peter SM 05:52  |  Nick Ferriman 30/01/08   151.   147# Sorry Eric a mixture of rubbish & simplifications. 06:39  |  Akram Zekaria 30/01/08   152.   # 148 to ben jabo (2nd try) 07:11  |  eric 30/01/08   153.   # 151 how old are you, akram? 07:13  |  eric 30/01/08   154.   Twice as you are Eric & still alive. 08:18  |  Akram Zekaria 30/01/08   155.   # 154 lol...oh i doubt that very much... 09:39  |  eric 30/01/08   156.   #152 Eric - I don`t care about New Mexico 03:48  |  * BEN JABO 31/01/08   157.   # 156 okay ben...then i answered each of them! 05:02  |  eric 31/01/08   158.   #157 Eric - you`re denser than ever 08:00  |  * BEN JABO 31/01/08   159.   # 158 no ben 08:16  |  eric 01/02/08   160.   #159 Eric - you answered nothing 17:59  |  * BEN JABO 01/02/08   161.   # 160 so what you`re saying ben... 08:23  |  eric 02/02/08   162.   #161 Eric - what I am saying is I don`t like you 03:12  |  * BEN JABO 03/02/08

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