An official at the Egyptian Passport Control department stated, Wednesday, that instructions were handed down to the department to prevent the Palestinians from entering Egypt amidst the current protests against the regime of President Hosni Mubarak. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official stated that twelve Palestinians have been already ordered to return to areas they have traveled from.
A source at the Cairo International Airport stated that several airlines were officially informed to refrain from allowing Palestinians to board air crafts heading to Egypt.
Furthermore, a source at the Palestinian embassy in Cairo, also speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that, under the current circumstances, Palestinians are unable to enter Egypt unless they hold valid residency cards, and Palestinians married to Egyptian nationals, in addition to Palestinians who hold diplomatic passports.
According to the official, the current measures are temporary, and will be lifted once the situation in Egypt changes.
In related news, Egyptian security officers interrogated several Palestinians living in al-Arish, Rafah, and Sheikh Zweid cities in Egyptian under suspicion that they are involved in detonating the gas pipeline that is extends from Egypt to Israel and Jordan.
