Egypt's underground steel wall will 'strangle' Gaza

[Kshasty]

Source: RIA Novosti

Egypt's plans to build an underground steel wall on the border with the Gaza Strip will "strangle" the impoverished enclave, a spokesman for Gaza's Interior Ministry said.

Egypt has recently started building an underground metal barrier to stop Palestinian smugglers from moving through tunnels between Gaza and Egypt. The smugglers became noticeably more active after Israel blockaded the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave with 1.5 million residents. The underground 10-km (6-mile) wall will run along Egypt's border with Gaza.

"Egypt's construction of the steel barrier will strangle Gaza, which has already been under a blockade for four years. We have contacted the Egyptian authorities at the highest level, explained to them what dangers the wall poses to our citizens, but with no positive results," Ihab al-Hussein said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

He added that underground tunnels provided the transportation of some 35% of the necessary goods for people in the blockaded enclave and their closure would only worsen the already complicated humanitarian situation in the region.

Read more: http://en.rian.ru/world/20100113/157532915.html

[jasi2006]

1. What is happening and what has happened to the Palestinians

if the crime of an eon. I can't figure out why the world allows this to happen to people whose crime is to want their own land back and to be treated as human beings. But then, I think about my own people and what happened to them in this country...they finally called them Native Americans and African-Americans. Game, set, match.

[cali]

10. it's tragic, but no it's not the crime of an eon. it's only one of many

and not as severe in terms of lives lost as many others. As you pointed out the genocide of the Native Americans, the African-Americans and as you didn't point out, the Jews in the Holocaust.

[razorman]

12. Don't forget the Armenian genocide by the Turks, or the Killing Fields

of Cambodia, among many other atrocities. Unfortunately, this sort of behavior is all too common throughout history. The Palestinians are simply some of the most recent victims of the baser levels of human behavior. The Palestinians have also proven themselves quite capable of it. It seems to be a never-ending cycle.

[aquart]

13. Game, set, what?

Projecting much?

So how many posts have you written on Darfur?

Tibet?

The Tamil tigers?

Indonesia?

The ethnic cleansing in Iraq?

So why do you thing fellow Muslims are treating the Palestinians like a contagious disease? The Egyptians could have solved all of Gaza's problems with open gates. Why are they so mean to these lovely people?

[Pab Sungenis]

2. So much for Arab "concern for the plight of the Palestinian people."

If Egypt gave a crap they'd be trading with Gaza, not helping seal it off. Most of the people who are "concerned" about the situation are only concerned about embarrassing Israel.

[EFerrari]

3. If our government was serious about dealing with al Qaida

we'd stop propping up the corrupt government in Egypt because AQ was born in an Egyptian prison full of political prisoners.

[AngryAmish]

8. Madness

AQ arose from the Muslim Brotherhood, which, as you note, arose in Egyptian jails.

So if we stop propping up the corrupt state, then the Muslim Brotherhood takes over Egypt. Great.

[EFerrari]

14. That's the same argument the CIA has ever used for interfereing

in other nations. How's that working out for you?

[The Stranger]

4. That would be laughable -- if only it rose to such a level, but what's killing Gazans isn't in Egypt

it is the massive apartheid wall that Israel has built. THAT wall is why the Palestinians have had to smuggle food and medicine in through Egypt.

You really need to wake up.

[BennyD]

6. No, what's killing "Palestinians" is

Israeli bullets! Egypt has publicly declared Israel's right to exist and seeks to continue its regional ties with them, while trying to facilitate peaceful relations between Israel and the residents in Gaza. Israel asked Egypt to do something about the weapons smuggling that has gone on for years visa-via the underground tunnels. Egypt agreed to help limit the potential for violence by sealing off the tunnels.

Tunnels are dug and used to hide items being transported that would be confiscated if discovered (i.e. RPG's, Assault Rifles, etc.)Food doesn't need to be hid when crossing the Egyptian border into Gaza. It happens every day.

Edited to say: Flame away!

[SkyDaddy7]

7. I totally agree! nt.

[Scurrilous]

11. "Food doesn't need to be hid when crossing the Egyptian border into Gaza. It happens every day."

Not really.

Occasional humanitarian aid gets through, but otherwise the only food passing directly between Egypt and Gaza has to smuggled through the tunnels.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. Its more than occasionally. The checkpoints are mostly open unless they have been shelled or attack

Its not the fastest process in the world, since everything is screened tightly and much dual use material does not get through.

[The Stranger]

16. They have cut off food and medicine to the civilian population of Gaza repeatedly.

But the bullets and tanks and missles and bombs kill Gazans also.

[tom_paine]

5. Don't forget, Egypt and it's dictator Mubarak take billions in Imperial lucre every year

They've got to play the game or lose their own ability to Ponzi scheme their subject populace with Imperial Funny Money.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

18. Eqypt and Jordan have always treated Palestinians as 2nd class people

well before the land was retaken by Israel. Other muslim nations send them bullets and bombs instead of food and teachers. It really does suck all the way around

[Ticonderoga]

9. Egypt's actions are nothing

less than despicable. Catering to the Zionists in Isreal and turning their backs on the impoverished Palestinians will be duly noted by their enemys. Bad move.

[Xolodno]

15. Proxy War

Thats all the Palestinians were to the Arabs, Proxy troops against Israel.

Arab nations aren't going to do anything because:

1. They are tired of economically supporting Hama's, particularly now they too are tied to the ups and downs of a global economy.

2. They would rather deal with a more moderate Palestinian Authority than Hama's. They do not want to give any encouragement to hard line groups in their own nations.

3. Islamic Unity in face of the Great Satan is finally unraveling. There are two big boys on the block, Saudi Arabia and Iran and each are trying to get the maximum influence in the region, what does meddling in the affairs between Palestine and Israel give them? Nothing. If anything, Arab nations may want Israel's help in containing Iranian influence...albeit with a wink and a nod.

4. Removing Israel as a nation is just a pipe dream at this point...and everyone with the exception of some radical groups know this. Why waste more resources on a futile endeavor?