The Egyptian delegates who met with the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat headed by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu Al-Gheit and Omar Suleiman chief of Intelligence told Arafat that Egypt withdrew its intentions to send experts to help train the Palestinian security in Gaza Strip.
However, the delegation expressed Egypt’s readiness to train and help rehabilitate the Palestinian security officials and police in Egypt.
Reasons behind this change in the intentions on the part of Egypt are still unclear yet.
Egypt has been hesitant about sending experts to Gaa Strip, because of the lack of Israeli Guarantees that there will be no further targeted killings.
Two months ago an Egyptian official was qouted by the London Based newspaper, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, as saying “We are in close communications with the leaders of all Palestinian political groups, we can not continue with our efforts if Israel insists to continue targeting their activists.â€Â
Arafat used the meeting to present the security changes he made in Gaza, including the appointment of Mousa Arafat as head of the Palestinian security services in the Strip, saying the PA had fulfilled its promises for a unification of the security services and that the PA had overcome the internal strife in Gaza and the West Bank.
Apparently the meeting was a platform for Arafat to present the chages made on the security devices in the Gaza Strip, as he was confirmed as the only address on the Palestinian side for talks about the political process in general, after talks the Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei had with the Egyptian President Husni Mubarak in Cairo last week.
Arafat also responded to a comment recently made by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, in which he said, the disengagement plan was the only plan on the agenda between Israel and the Palestinians and called on his ministers not to mention the road map.
‘The Palestinians,’ said Arafat, ‘are committed to the peace process and the precise implementation of the road map.’
