Region | Palestinian Territories
Tel Aviv fears Al Qaida will infiltrate into Gaza
Israel and the Palestinian National Authority yesterday said they fear Al Qaida terrorists will infiltrate into Gaza through the open Gaza-Egypt border, where Palestinians and Egyptians have been crossing largely unfettered since Israel withdrew from the area four days ago.
- AP
- Published: 00:00 September 16, 2005
Israel and the Palestinian National Authority yesterday said they fear Al Qaida terrorists will infiltrate into Gaza through the open Gaza-Egypt border, where Palestinians and Egyptians have been crossing largely unfettered since Israel withdrew from the area four days ago.
In a deal worked out with Israel, Egypt is supposed to deploy 750 border troops to secure the frontier and prevent weapons smuggling, but neither those troops nor Palestinian policemen have been able to halt the flow of people and arms, including hundreds of assault rifles and pistols.
"We're talking about Iran, we're talking elements in Syria, we're talking about groups like Hezbollah and we're talking also about international terrorist groups like Al Qaida," said Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev. Israel has long accused both Iran and Syria of sponsoring militant groups.
Rafiq Husseini, the top aide to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, said, "We are even more worried than Israel about Al Qaida coming here because Al Qaida will harm us more than Israel."
Such a presence, he said, would hurt prospects for peace and renewed negotiations with Israel.
"The Palestinian National Authority security apparatus will arrest any suspected Al Qaida members or other terrorist groups if they infiltrate Gaza," he said.
Islamic militant groups, some claiming connections with Al Qaida, have been active in northern Egypt but there has been no indication they've infiltrated Gaza, which until this week has been tightly sealed.
Its operatives are prime suspects in a triple bombing that killed at least 64 people in July at Egypt's popular Red Sea resort of Sharm Al Shaikh on the southern tip of the Sinai.
Senior Israeli military officials said they feared Al Qaida operatives could enter Gaza from Sinai and connect with the local Hamas militant group to share expertise and provide weapons.
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