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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Tunnels back in business despite Israeli threats |
| 2009-01-23 |
| In a bid to restore a commercial lifeline to the Hamas-ruled territory, hundreds of Palestinians came to the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt on Thursday to try to repair smuggling tunnels despite Israeli threats of new military action to prevent the resumption of such activities. "Soon it will be operational, I will not bring drugs or weapons, I plan to use it to bring in what people need most -- food and fuel, and that is very profitable," tunnel-owner Mohammed told Reuters. Hamas and other Palestinian factions use their own tunnels to smuggle in weapons but journalists do not have access to them and it was impossible to see whether they had resumed operation. Israel has threatened new military action to prevent Hamas from replenishing the rocket arsenal it used to strike southern Israeli towns. Israeli troops pulled out of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, three days after separate ceasefires declared by Israel and Hamas went into effect. "If we need to do additional military operations to stop smuggling, it will be done ... Israel reserves the right to act against smuggling, period," Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told Israel Radio. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 An army of a thousand Rachel Corries. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2009-01-23 10:31 |