Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CAIRO17
2009-01-05 14:41:00
SECRET
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:  

EGYPT: GAZA ROUND-UP: JANUARY 5

Tags:  KPAL PGOV PREL PHUM EG IS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9823
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #0017 0051441
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 051441Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1282
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
S E C R E T CAIRO 000017 

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ELA AND NEA/IPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2019
TAGS: KPAL PGOV PREL PHUM EG IS
SUBJECT: EGYPT: GAZA ROUND-UP: JANUARY 5

REF: A. CAIRO 0007

B. CAIRO 0003

C. CAIRO 0002

Classified By: Minister Counselor William R. Stewart
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

-----
Rafah
-----

S E C R E T CAIRO 000017

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ELA AND NEA/IPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2019
TAGS: KPAL PGOV PREL PHUM EG IS
SUBJECT: EGYPT: GAZA ROUND-UP: JANUARY 5

REF: A. CAIRO 0007

B. CAIRO 0003

C. CAIRO 0002

Classified By: Minister Counselor William R. Stewart
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

--------------
Rafah
--------------


1. (S) On January 5, Egyptian military officials briefed
defense attaches on the situation in Gaza. The Egyptian
military reports that the Egyptian-Gaza border remains
stable, with no breaches since December 28. Egyptian border
guards successfully prevented subsequent attempts to breach
the border by a small number of unorganized individuals.
Egyptian forces continue to receive occasional gunfire from
the Gaza side of the border.


2. (S) The Egyptian military estimates that Israeli air
attacks have destroyed 50 percent of the main smuggling
tunnels between Rafah and Gaza. They anticipate that the
Israeli Defense Force will take additional measures to
destroy the tunnels during the ground invasion. The Egyptian
military stressed that the Rafah border would not be
permanently opened until the Palestinian Authority regained
control of the border crossings. They expressed concern that
the Israelis were attempting to sever Gaza from the West
Bank, leaving an independent Gaza as "Egypt,s problem.8


3. (SBU) According to the Egyptian military, 325 tons of
medical aid has been delivered to Gaza since December 28,
including 60 tons donated by the GOE. Assistance is being
delivered through Rafah, Kerem Shalom, and most recently
al-Aouja (Egyptian-Israeli border crossing in Central Sinai)
due to the high volumes of goods. All material is being
thoroughly searched for weapons and ammunition.

--------------
Demonstrations
--------------


4. (SBU) Contacts told us that the police prevented the
Muslim Brotherhood (MB) from holding a large demonstration
planned for Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo on the afternoon
of January 5; however, our contacts said the demonstration
will be held elsewhere in the city either today or tomorrow.
The police allowed the MB to lead a smaller demonstration at
the Press Syndicate, not far from Tahrir Square, where
approximately 400 people demonstrated as of 1430 hrs. local.
Emboff observed a demonstration of about 200 people in front
of the Mogamma (an enormous government building about half a
kilometer from the embassy). The protestors were waving a
Palestinian flag and chanting, "We are with you, Hamas!"
There were at least 1500 police in full riot gear scattered
throughout the public square in front of the Mogamma.


5. (SBU) Contacts told us January 5 that about 17,000
demonstrated in a peaceful protest January in the Delta town
of Tanta. Contacts remarked that police allowed the
demonstrators to protest, and did not attack the crowd. The
MB has claimed that it led demonstrations January 4 of at
least 10,000 protestors each in the Delta town of Mansoura
and in Fayoum (about 100 kilometers south of Cairo),and of
25,000 protestors in Alexandria.
SCOBEY