EGYPT/GAZA: Hamas officials cross into Egypt for talks with officials on future of breached Gaza-Egypt border/ Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meets with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak

Record ID: 1532569

  • Title: EGYPT/GAZA: Hamas officials cross into Egypt for talks with officials on future of breached Gaza-Egypt border/ Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meets with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak
  • Date: 30th January 2008
  • Summary: (W3) CAIRO, EGYPT (JANUARY 30, 2008) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF EGYPTIAN PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
  • Embargoed: 15th February 2008 05:18
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAEMKZB514NL70TN80MJ8XBLS4F
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas says Hamas must "reverse its coup" in Gaza after meeting with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak. Hamas officials cross into Egypt for talks with officials on the future of the breached Gaza-Egypt border.
    Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejected demands on Wednesday (January 30) by Hamas rivals for control of the breached Gaza-Egypt border and told the Islamist group to "reverse its coup" in Gaza.
    Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in June after routing Abbas's more secular Fatah forces, blasted open the Egyptian border last week in defiance of an Israeli blockade, letting Gazans pour into Egypt to stock up on goods in short supply.
    Abbas, who met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and other officials in crisis talks in Egypt on restoring order at the frontier, has already won U.S., European and Arab backing to take control of the Rafah crossing, to the exclusion of Hamas.

    "Hamas must reverse its coup and accept all of its international legal obligations and allow early elections to take place. At that time, hearts and minds will be open to any dialogue between us and them," Abbas told a news conference in which he referred to Hamas as an "illegitimate" party.
    It is unclear how Abbas, the Fatah leader, would be able to exert control over Rafah given opposition from Hamas, whose forces have command on the ground.
    Shunned by the West for refusing to renounce violence against Israel after winning Palestinian elections two years ago, Hamas signalled it could prevent Egypt from re-sealing the border unless its own authority there was recognised.
    Hamas sought on Wednesday to make the case that it could manage the Rafah crossing itself.
    Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar said the border should be open and free, as he crossed with other Hamas officials through the Rafah border terminal into Egypt to meet with Egyptian officials on the future of the breached border.

    "We are going to discuss everything, everything will be put on the agenda and we are going to make, to do our best to make it successful," he said.
    Israel signalled on Tuesday it would not stand in the way of Abbas taking control of Gaza's border with Egypt, but officials expressed doubt that Abbas's forces could stand up to Hamas's.
    Egyptian state media reported that Egypt was planning to take steps shortly to start to close the border.
    Gaza border crossings have emerged as the main battleground in a power struggle between Hamas and Abbas, whose authority has been limited to the Israeli-occupied West Bank since June.
    Abbas has proposed taking over all crossings, including those with Israel. Hamas sees the effort as part of a campaign to limit its power.
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