Defense Minister Ehud Barak has ordered troops to close the Kerem Shalom crossing in response to Egypt’s decision to allow 1,200 residents of Gaza to return to Gaza without going through Israeli security. The closure of the crossing will leave approximately 150 residents of Gaza in Sinai.
Egypt decided to let several hundred Arabs return to Gaza unchecked despite Israel’s concerns that the group included Hamas terrorists with advanced training and millions of dollars in cash. Egypt’s decision violated an explicit agreement between Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Egypt’s ambassador to the Palestinian Authority, Ahmed Abu al-Hir, accused Israel of “political extortion.” Egypt will not give in to Israeli pressure, he said, “because she is not interested in being easy prey for Israel.”