Hamas do not accept any Israeli presence on the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. This is what Hamas told the chief of the Egyptian intelligence Omar Suleiman in a meeting that joined him with leaders of the movement in Gaza during his visit to the Gaza Strip.
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahaar, a prominent leader of Hamas said if this request is not met, the Qassam brigade, the armed wing of Hamas, will make sure to attack any Israeli soldier on the Rafah crossing border and it surroundings.
Al-Zahar said, that Hamas is still committed to resistance as long as occupation in not over.
Al-Zahar said Hamas will not disarm its groups, because their arms will be needed to respond to Israeli attacks, reiterating statements that the resistance is what caused Israel to pullout from the Gaza Strip.
Al-Zahar harshly slammed the Palestinian Authority for the ‘corruption’ it is suffering in its various institutions.
‘The PA has only two options’ Al-Zahar said, ‘first, either to have a bloody coop which we completely reject and try to avoid, despite the unjust treatment we received from people of our skin, and the second to have democratic elections which we insist on having.’
The Palestinian Authority has agreed late on Thursday that Israel inspects the goods coming from Egypt to the Gaza Strip before they enter. This move came after pressure by the Egyptian chief of intelligence Omar Suleiman who was visiting the area.
Suleiman suggested having two crossings with Egypt, the existing one in Rafah will be used for passengers, while a new one to be built near the Israeli town of Kerem Shalom on a point that joins, Gaza Strip, Egypt and Israel, to be used for cargo, and will be under Israeli-Palestinian-Egyptian supervision.
The Palestinian Authority still insists that the Rafah crossing border should be under Palestinian supervision and no Israelis at all, yet, the PA would accept a third party to supervise the crossing terminal, if not Israeli.
