An Egyptian diplomatic source revealed that Egypt is making continuous efforts with Fatah and Hamas about crossing points between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. It also said that the talks recently held in Cairo over this issue were not a failure but just a first step.
The source affirmed that over the next few days, Cairo would host two delegations from Fatah and Hamas to reach a solution over crossing points and start a dialogue between the two movements.
He pointed out that the latest talks did not touch on such dialogue, but focused exclusively on border transits.
According to the protocol about these points, the source moved on to say, Israel is responsible of the Gaza Strip from a security and humanitarian point of view. Therefore, "Cairo blames Tel Aviv for the latest deterioration of the situation there and along the border."
Meanwhile, Hamas deposed government spokesman Taher al-Nounou said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas tried to thwart the bilateral talks with Hamas and Egyptian officials which ended on Friday in Cairo. He also stressed that Hamas turned a blind eye on this attempt and tried to have successful talks.
Speaking to al-Masry al-Youm, he said that Abbas set three obstacles to the dialogue: opening the Rafah crossing point only through the 2005 agreement on these border transits, talking to Hamas only after it has given up to what he called its June "coup" in Gaza, and Hamas acknowledgment of the legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority.
He added: "We explained to the Egyptians the gravity of the 2005 agreement, in which Egypt was not involved." He then pointed out that the Hamas delegation made propositions about how to re-open the Rafah crossing point and listened to the Egyptians in this regard.
He affirmed that Hamas accepted European observers at the gate provided that they do not decide when to open and close it, that they live in Arish or Rafah and not go to Israel as they used to. He also stressed on the fact that the Europeans would be back by virtue of a new comprehensive agreement not related to the 2005 one.
Nounou said that the most important issue of the talks – focused on by Egyptian officials – was Egyptian security in Sinai, pointing out that Egypt opened the Rafah transit border as it refused to let the Palestinian people die of hunger.
"We told Egyptian officials that the government in Gaza was eager to guarantee Egypt's security," he said "and that this security would not be undermined."
Foreign Minister of Hamas deposed government Mahmoud Zahar said on his way back to the Gaza Strip yesterday after attending talks in Cairo that Hamas would work on closing the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. He also pointed out that the Movement would gradually regain control over the border in cooperation with Egypt.
However, the German news agency reported the vice-chief of the Hamas block in Parliament Yehia el-Abadsa as saying that Hamas would not let the Rafah crossing point be closed and Gaza be turned into a prison once again.
He affirmed that Egyptian leaders are submitted to US and Israeli pressures and blackmails so that they would strengthen Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Finally, he expressed his hope that Cairo would respond to nationalistic and humanitarian factors and would back the Palestinian people in spite of such pressures.
Meanwhile, the crisis continued in the Palestinian and Egyptian parts of the city of Rafah. Eyewitnesses mentioned that Hamas bulldozed the metallic barriers set up by security forces along the border and opened even more the breach between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Presidency condemned yesterday any attempt to harm Egypt's national security, vital interests, stability, sovereignty and people.
The Presidency reacted to news about the infiltration of terrorist groups into Sinai to attack Egyptian vital interests and tourists by issuing a statement which read: "The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) strongly condemns all illegal and terrorist acts, whatever their motivation and whoever the people standing behind them."
The Palestinian Presidency warned against "the involvement of any Palestinian in such acts, which deeply harm the Palestinian people's interest as much as those of the Egyptians, who have been standing next to our people and our cause."
The statement added: "PNA strongly condemns such operations, considers any attempt to harm Egyptian national security an attempt to harm Palestinian security, and deprecates whatever terrorists might do against the Republic of Egypt."
