CAIRO: A state-owned Cairo daily confirmed on Thursday that Egypt is building an underground barrier with Gaza and said it was a sovereign right that would increase pressure on the enclave s Hamas rulers.
The barrier… is the same barrier that currently exists but with the addition of underground foundations, Al-Gomhuria said in a front-page editorial.
Egypt, which protects its sovereignty, has the right to develop the barrier separating it and Gaza. It has a right to have a wall that is strong and not subject to collapse.
The editorial is the closest Egypt has so far come to officially confirming it is building the underground barrier to stem smuggling into Gaza through underground tunnels.
Previously security sources had only confirmed witness reports anonymously.
The Associated Press reported that Egyptian security officials said unidentified Gaza gunmen opened fire from across the border on workers installing the underground metal barrier. The officials said no one was hurt but some equipment was damaged in Thursday s shooting.
Hamas border officials in Gaza confirmed shots were fired twice toward Egyptian workers. All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to talk to reporters.
Egypt s independent press has been highly critical of the government s move to tighten the existing blockade of Gaza s 1.5 million residents, who rely on the tunnels for everything from cars to cigarettes, as well as weapons.
But Al-Gomhuria was unapologetic.
Some people have tried to portray Egypt as playing a part in the blockade of Palestinians by tightening the openings used for smuggling weapons… but smuggling weapons through Sinai is a direct attack on the sovereignty of Egypt, the paper said.
It blamed the Islamist Hamas movement – which seized control of Gaza in 2007 – for the worsening living conditions in the territory, saying it should have signed an Egyptian-brokered reconciliation deal with the secular Fatah faction of Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
It is up to Hamas to agree on signing a reconciliation agreement which would guarantee a permanent opening of the borders including the Rafah border, between Egypt and Gaza, the paper said.
It is Hamas that stood against reconciliation. Now it must show more positive action if it wants to lighten the blockade and suffering of its people. -AFP
