Egypt Wants to Send Troops to Gaza
Egypt Wants to Send Troops to Gaza

As the end of Mahmoud Abbas's term as PA Chairman approaches, much Hamas-Fatah strife is expected.  Egypt has offered to send troops to Gaza, but Hamas refuses.

Egypt has proposed a 14-point peace plan, but like previous arrangements suggested by Yemen and Saudi Arabia, it does not appear to have great chances for success.  Among its proposals are the sending of Eygptian forces to Gaza to buttress security.

The Arabic-language Al-Sharq Al-Aussat newspaper reports the details of the Egyptian proposal in its Tuesday edition.  Fatah and Hamas representatives have been invited, or summoned, to Cairo, to hear the following Egyptian suggestions, among others:

• An end to mutual incitement, the release of all prisoners, and the safe return of all Gaza residents.

• The re-opening of Fatah institutions in Gaza and Hamas organizations in Judea/Samaria that have been closed

• Acceptance of PLO's legitimacy and reforms in the organization to enable integration of all groups according to their relative strength

• A freeze on Hamas police activity in Gaza

The above points are considered do-able, but the following four proposed clauses are already known to be not acceptable to Hamas:

• Sending Arab forces, headed by Egypt, to Gaza to help maintain security.

• Authorizing an Arab security group, headed by Egypt, to resolve Fatah-Hamas disputes on internal security matters.

• The establishment of a transient government before new PA elections this coming March.

• Hamas must accept all of the PA's international obligations - specifically, the recognition of Israel and the like.

Egypt is concerned that if Fatah and Hamas do not reach a framework of cooperation within the coming months, violence is likely to break out in Gaza along the lines of the Hamas conquest of Gaza from Fatah in the summer of 2007.

Egypt accused Hamas this week of stalling negotiations on the release of captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.  Egyptian Intelligence Chief Gen. Omar Suleiman demanded of Khaled Mashaal - Syria-based head of the Hamas diplomatic desk - that Hamas stop placing obstacles in the way of Shalit's release.  Hamas has raised its demands of late, while Egypt demands to be reinstated as the official mediator in the talks between Hamas and Israel.