Egypt doing to tunnels what the Israeli air force couldn't

We speculated yesterday that the Egyptian government may be moving to assume full control of the border.

It's actions are already having a severe impact on the import of essential goods into Gaza through the tunnels.

If this is not a prelude to opening the Rafah crossing then it is going to lead to the starvation of the Palestinian people in Gaza. How much money are the Americans and Europeans giving the regime to do their dirty work for them?

Mubarak deserves to go the way of his predecessor Sadat.

From the LA Times

A new enemy for Gaza smugglers

...the Palestinians' fury is directed at the Egyptian government, which in the wake of this winter's Israeli offensive has cracked down on the Gaza tunnel trade, choking the flow of goods...

..."No matter what the Israelis do, we're steadfast," one owner, who identifies himself as Abu Ahmed, says as he sits in an outdoor courtyard within sight of the border. "But this? This could slaughter our country and our economy."...

...Abu Baraa and other owners say they hope the current crackdown is just a temporary show by the Egyptians to satisfy international demands. They angrily warn that a serious long-term anti-tunnel effort would be a betrayal by Mubarak's government and risk a dangerous backlash...

"The Egyptian people are our brothers," Abu Baraa says. "The government is a collaborator."

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