Egyptian Harbor, Added to Steel Wall, to Tighten Gaza Siege, American Delegation Postpones Visit

New Egyptian Harbor To Tighten Gaza Siege

Friday January 15, 2010 20:56 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Egypt announced its intention to build a harbor along its sea border with the Gaza Strip in order to be used by Egyptian navy patrols to monitor the Egyptian side of the Rafah shore.

The harbor dock would be 10 meters deep and extends for 25 meters from the seashore at the Egyptian side of Rafah.

The new construction is considered an extension of the Iron Wall Egypt is constructing along its border with the Gaza Strip.

The Wall is being built under direct US supervision and support and is meant to stop the siege-busting tunnels between Gaza and Egypt. The tunnels are meant to smuggle food, fuels and basic supplies to the Gaza Strip living under
strict Israeli siege since more than three years.

The new Egyptian harbor would also lead to further restrictions on Palestinian firemen already subject to ongoing attacks by the Israeli Navy and continuous Israeli restrictions.

Egyptian sources reported that this new harbor would also prevent Egyptian fishing boats from crossing the border by mistake as Egyptian fishermen were subject to Israeli fire in several previous incidents.

Meanwhile, Egypt continues the construction of its wall along the border with Gaza, while US security officials and officials of the U.S. embassy in Cairo visited the construction site to inspect the progress of this underground steel wall.

American visit to Rafah wall postponed; Egypt says shots fired

Published yesterday (updated) 16/01/2010 14:26

Al-Arish – Ma'an –

Egyptian security sources said equipment used to construct the underground border wall in Rafah came under fire on Friday, prompting an American delegation to cancel a visit to the site.

"Security reasons" were cited by the delegation for the postponement of the inspection, and Egyptian security officials could not comment on whether the shooting incident was an isolated event or part of regular attacks.

Sources in Egypt said the shots hit equipment digging 1,500 meters away from the Rafah crossing point, and noted no workers were injured and no equipment damaged.

Egypt says it is building the 25-meter deep border wall along the 10km length of the Rafah border in an effort to stop the smuggling trade that goes through the tunnels network beneath the border.

In a statement Thursday, Hamas officials said they knew the smuggling trade was harmful to Gaza society, but said they were given no choice with the continuing Israeli siege, no port, no airport or other ways to secure basic goods for Gazans.

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