Israeli media sources reported that the Egyptian president Husni Mubarak has voiced concern over what he believes ‘growing Iranian influence’ in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, which borders Egypt.
The Israeli Online daily, Haaretz, reported Wednesday that Mubarak’s concern was outspoken during a meeting between the Egyptian president and a European diplomat.
Haaretz added that Mubarak sees the situation in Gaza as similar to that in Lebanon in terms of Iranian influence in the region.
The Israeli daily quoted Israeli political sources as saying that Cairo has shifted policy towards the Gaza Strip, after the January’s flooding of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into Egyptian territories after armed Palestinians breached the border with Egypt.
Since January, a number of Hamas officials have been holding contacts with Egyptian counterparts on possibility of reopening the Rafah crossing terminal on Gaza-Egypt border lines.
The ruling Hamas had cooperated with the Egyptian authorities in sealing off the breached borders, almost one week after Egypt allowed crowds of Palestinians to bring essential supplies, made scarce in Gaza because of eight-month-long Israeli closure.
