The London-based, Saudi Arabian-backed al-Hayat newspaper recently carried an investigative report on smuggling operations across the Egyptian-Israeli border, which it called “the Garden of Eden for drug trafficking, prostitution, foreign labor, and even Libyan and Egyptian camels.” Not only that, the newspaper noted, the Egyptian border became “a safe spot for martyrdom commandos, who found in it an easy entry point into Palestinian territories, particularly the Gaza Strip.”
Israel, reported the newspaper, said that the border had a “thriving narcotics, prostitution and foreign labor industry,” as well as “a prime spot for smuggling weapons into Palestinian territories.... large shipments of AK-47 rifles, small arms, grenades, and even explosive materials used by Hamas to make Al-Qassam rockets....” To put a stop to this abuse of the border, Israel first decided to “close it at Rafah, forcing infiltrators to travel south to Taba and Sharm Al-Sheikh. This measure, however, was useless, because this area became the most active smuggling spot,” al-Hayat explained.
The London-based newspaper detailed its own findings: “The border line between Israel and Egypt, extending 215 kilometers, is a safe passage for smugglers. Not a day passes that does not see smuggling of drugs and Libyan and Egyptian camels, which the Bedouins use in the desert. Prostitutes and illegal aliens looking for work are also smuggled through the border. Profits are in the millions of dollars, and the players are Egyptian Bedouins that for years relied on Israeli and Egyptian tourists, which they lost in the past two years. There are also Bedouins from al-Naqab, known to endure difficult economic and social conditions as a result of discrimination by successive Israeli governments. As for the supporters of the smuggling activity, they are mostly Bedouin soldiers, rank officers and trackers that served or are still serving in the Israeli army, and they cooperate with their relatives and tribesmen.” The smugglers also cooperate “with the European Mafia and drug traffickers in Israel, most of them Bedouins from al-Naqab....” the newspaper stated.
Furthermore, the newspaper noted that the Israeli citizens involved in the smuggling operations “know the movements of the army and have the necessary maps to keep abreast of it, which ensures successful smuggling.” A particularly successful and common method used by drug traffickers in particular is sending children across the border with the contraband. “Since the beginning of the year,” al-Hayat reported, “Israel has arrested ten Egyptian children carrying bags containing tens of kilos of narcotics. The children are commonly used in smuggling marijuana, and the parents of the children receive payment in exchange for the child's services, at a rate of $150 per 20 kilos.” The newspaper then ignorantly stated that the smuggling operations are “coordinated via cellular telephones, in Arabic so the Israeli side cannot discover it.” Israel, of course, has many Arabic speakers in its security forces.
As for Israeli Arab soldiers who are aware of the illegal trade, the al-Hayat article pointed out, they are “between a rock and a hard place.” If such a soldier were to report the smuggling to the Israelis, the newspaper said, “the reaction of his tribe may be a single deadly bullet, and if he does not and the Israeli army and security outfits learn about it, they would consider it treason, and the punishment for that is almost equal to the punishment of martyrdom commandos.”
According to al-Hayat, Israel only manages to uncover “one-tenth of the operations”.
Israel, reported the newspaper, said that the border had a “thriving narcotics, prostitution and foreign labor industry,” as well as “a prime spot for smuggling weapons into Palestinian territories.... large shipments of AK-47 rifles, small arms, grenades, and even explosive materials used by Hamas to make Al-Qassam rockets....” To put a stop to this abuse of the border, Israel first decided to “close it at Rafah, forcing infiltrators to travel south to Taba and Sharm Al-Sheikh. This measure, however, was useless, because this area became the most active smuggling spot,” al-Hayat explained.
The London-based newspaper detailed its own findings: “The border line between Israel and Egypt, extending 215 kilometers, is a safe passage for smugglers. Not a day passes that does not see smuggling of drugs and Libyan and Egyptian camels, which the Bedouins use in the desert. Prostitutes and illegal aliens looking for work are also smuggled through the border. Profits are in the millions of dollars, and the players are Egyptian Bedouins that for years relied on Israeli and Egyptian tourists, which they lost in the past two years. There are also Bedouins from al-Naqab, known to endure difficult economic and social conditions as a result of discrimination by successive Israeli governments. As for the supporters of the smuggling activity, they are mostly Bedouin soldiers, rank officers and trackers that served or are still serving in the Israeli army, and they cooperate with their relatives and tribesmen.” The smugglers also cooperate “with the European Mafia and drug traffickers in Israel, most of them Bedouins from al-Naqab....” the newspaper stated.
Furthermore, the newspaper noted that the Israeli citizens involved in the smuggling operations “know the movements of the army and have the necessary maps to keep abreast of it, which ensures successful smuggling.” A particularly successful and common method used by drug traffickers in particular is sending children across the border with the contraband. “Since the beginning of the year,” al-Hayat reported, “Israel has arrested ten Egyptian children carrying bags containing tens of kilos of narcotics. The children are commonly used in smuggling marijuana, and the parents of the children receive payment in exchange for the child's services, at a rate of $150 per 20 kilos.” The newspaper then ignorantly stated that the smuggling operations are “coordinated via cellular telephones, in Arabic so the Israeli side cannot discover it.” Israel, of course, has many Arabic speakers in its security forces.
As for Israeli Arab soldiers who are aware of the illegal trade, the al-Hayat article pointed out, they are “between a rock and a hard place.” If such a soldier were to report the smuggling to the Israelis, the newspaper said, “the reaction of his tribe may be a single deadly bullet, and if he does not and the Israeli army and security outfits learn about it, they would consider it treason, and the punishment for that is almost equal to the punishment of martyrdom commandos.”
According to al-Hayat, Israel only manages to uncover “one-tenth of the operations”.