Posted on 04/10/2009 7:37:08 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
The official report from Cairo Thursday - that a Hezbollah terror ring was uncovered in Cairo and was planning hostile operations in Egypt - should be seen within the context of a greater conflict that does not necessarily involve Israel. To fight Iranian subversion in Egypt, Cairo is willing to help Israel prevent the arming of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The first reports of Hezbollah involvement in Sinai appeared in the international media a few months ago, citing collaboration between Hezbollah and Palestinians who left Gaza for Sinai via tunnels. They were assisted by Sinai Bedouin, according to reports from Egypt Thursday. The detainees reportedly include Israeli Arabs, possibly Negev Bedouin. The Egyptians say they are concerned Hezbollah may try to attack tourist sites in Sinai and throughout Egypt... However, its goal is to undermine the Egyptian government. As early as last year, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Iran had created an Islamic republic in Egypt's backyard, referring to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip... The government-affiliated Egyptian daily Al-Ahram Thursday reported that the recently exposed terror ring had planned assassinations, attacks on essential services and bombings. Jordan, also viewed as central to what has been described as the Arab world's moderate Sunni axis, faced a similar effort by a Hamas terror network more than a year ago. In both cases, intelligence chiefs in Amman and Cairo realized that not only Palestinians and Lebanese were stirring the cauldron; so were Iranians... Egypt is making things harder for Hamas and its allies. Money transfers are more difficult, and since Operation Cast Lead, Israel has seen Egyptian efforts to stop weapons smuggling, Shin Bet security service head Yuval Diskin told the cabinet last month.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
Teheran women protesting against Egypt's President Mubarak while carrying Hezbollah flags. (Reuters)
Egypt envoy in US to seek softer stand on Hamas
AFP | Mar 17, 2009 | Mona Salem
Posted on 03/17/2009 1:26:19 PM PDT by forkinsocket
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2208517/posts
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