EGYPT PREPARES FOR GAZAN HAJJ PILGRIMS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002429

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAL IS EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT PREPARES FOR GAZAN HAJJ PILGRIMS

Classified By: MINISTER COUNSELOR WILLIAM R. STEWART
REASONS: 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) MFA Deputy Director for Palestinian Affairs Barakat
Leithy told us November 26 that the Egyptians are preparing
for approximately 3200 Hajj pilgrims to transit Egypt from
Gaza en route Saudi Arabia. This is an increase of
approximately 1000 from last year. Leithy said that GOE
policy is that all pilgrims must have valid Saudi Arabian
visas to transit Egypt. He reported that both Hamas and the
Palestinian Authority have sponsored the visa applications
for a portion of the 3200 pilgrims.


2. (C) Leithy acknowledged the PA preference that the GOE
only to allow those pilgrims sponsored by the PA to enter
Egypt. The GOE has not made a policy determination as to
whether they will accept only PA-sponsored pilgrims. As a
practical matter, Leithy said that Hamas will likely block
any pilgrims from using Rafah crossing to enter Egypt unless
Hamas-sponsored pilgrims are part of the contingent. He
worried that this would put Egypt in a potentially difficult
political position. Leithy also noted his understanding that
Hamas will likely block Hajj pilgrims attempting to reach
Saudi Arabia via Israel (e.g. via Eres crossing).


3. (C) MOD contacts told us that the GoE plans to bus the
Hajj pilgrims under "tight escort" to the coastal city of
Nuweiba, from where they will be ferried to Saudi Arabia.
They assess that the GOE is better prepared operationally for
this year's pilgrimage, noting that Egyptian-Israeli MOD
communication is improved as compared to last year, due to a
variety of factors including the "tahdiya" (calming) between
Hamas and Israel.
SCOBEY