Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt exports first high-tech potato seeds to Uzbekistan after opening market    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Federal Reserve maintains interest rates    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    58 days that exposed IMF's contradictions on Egypt    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Digging continues on Rafah border, but work on steel wall temporarily suspended
Published in Daily News Egypt on 23 - 12 - 2009

CAIRO: Construction work is still ongoing on the border with the Gaza Strip, but for the past two days there has been no erecting of the infamous underground steel wall.
Eyewitnesses told Daily News Egypt that digging was still underway, as well as the insertion of long steel pipes underground but there was no work regarding the metal sheets supposedly meant to be a long underground barrier.
Al-Shorouk newspaper reported Wednesday that Egypt halted construction on the wall over fears of a strong reaction by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and another possible breach in the border like the one that took place in January 2008.
"We are afraid that this [breach] might happen at any moment, we know the situation is delicate, an unnamed official told the newspaper. Another official said that Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman's recent visit to Israel was to discuss - among other things - the easing of the Israeli blockade on the Strip to avoid another breach.
North Sinai activist Khalil Jabr Sawarkeh told Daily News Egypt that there was anger on the Gazan side over the construction of the new barrier but that there would be no attempt to breach the border unless the tunnels are completely shut off.
"The thermometer is the tunnels; if they can no longer transport goods to Gaza because of this wall then a breach might be attempted, he said.
Other reports had indicated that the barrier was being built by Egypt in an attempt to force Hamas into reaching an agreement with rival faction Fatah and the formation of a unity government, a process Egypt is currently mediating.
However, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossam Zaki denied this, saying the work would continue even if an agreement were to be reached.
The procedures that Egypt is undertaking inside its lands, whether building or construction work along the border with the Gaza Strip, is an Egyptian concern that is related to Egypt and Egyptian national security, Reuters reported him as saying. We refuse to call the construction a steel wall and wonder where such a name came from, he added.
Earlier this month, news reports indicated that construction had begun on the border with Gaza in what appeared to be a large underground wall being built in an attempt to curb the smuggling via the underground tunnels on the border.
Egypt at first denied the reports then - after footage and images of the work and new wall emerged - alluded to construction on the border, which it stated was related to national security and sovereignty and not the concern of anyone else. It refuses to call it an underground wall and insists it is merely a reinforcement of the standing wall that lines the border.


Clic here to read the story from its source.