 CAIRO, Egypt - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak denied Monday reports from his own government that about 5,000 Egyptian security police had been deployed along the Gaza Strip border. 'This is totally baseless,Â’ Mubarak told a group of Egyptian lawmakers of his ruling National Democratic Party.
Government officials and the state-run Middle East News Agency had reported Sunday that the police were dispatched to protect Egyptians living close to Gaza following newspaper reports that Israeli aircraft might bomb the border area in a bid to destroy tunnels used to smuggle weapons. Israeli officials downplayed the Egyptian reports, stressing that any Israeli military action along the border would be coordinated with Egypt.
| "Pshaw! Nothing to it!" the Israeli official stated. Then he smiled. |
IsraelÂ’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip has been a political headache for Egypt. On the one hand, it fears that Islamic extremists in Gaza will cross the border, worsening the militant violence it has been combatting in the Sinai. On the other, the government fears a domestic backlash if it is seen to crack down hard on the Palestinians, who enjoy wide sympathy among Egyptians.
| One failed state supporting another! |
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