EGYPT TAKING CHARGE OF P.A.

Egypt Taking Charge of Palestinian Authority

GAZA CITY — Egypt is taking effective control of the Palestinian Authority, according to PA officials. The sources said that over the last few months leading up to the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Egypt has dominated several key areas of Palestinian government, particularly those affected by the pullout. They said Egypt approves PA decisions regarding the deployment and training of Palestinian security forces, security operations and policy, development projects and senior appointments, Middle East Newsline reported.

"They are in every facet of the [Palestinian] Authority in Gaza," a PA source said. "It is correct to say that major decisions are not taken without Egypt's approval."

PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the sources said, consults with Egypt on virtually every issue. They said Abbas relies on Egypt to restrain Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as protect him from rivals in the ruling Fatah movement.  The sources said Egypt's control over the PA increased significantly in wake of the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip on Sept. 12. They said Egypt now controls both sides of the 14-kilometer border with the Gaza Strip.  Egypt has been given control of both the PA airport and sea port, the sources said. They said Egyptian personnel would supervise and operate the PA airport at Dahaniya in the southern Gaza Strip as well as the sea port south of Gaza City. "There's an understanding between President Mubarak and President Abbas to jointly operate the international airport," PA Information Minister Nabil Shaath said.

Cairo has also sent government personnel to man critical facilities in the Gaza Strip. Egyptian officers have been directing PA security operations.  "Abbas cannot use the security forces against Hamas or Jihad without Egyptian permission," another source said. "He could threaten, but everybody knows that the authority remains with Egypt."

At one point in September, Abbas threatened to obtain Egyptian permission to launch an offensive against Hamas, which was firing scores of missiles into Israel. But the sources said Egypt rejected a major PA operation against Hamas, and instead, ordered the Islamic insurgency group to suspend missile strikes against the Jewish state.

The sources said Egypt has used a carrot-and-stick approach to maintain the submission of Palestinian insurgency groups. They said the regime of President Hosni Mubarak has allowed Hamas and Jihad leaders to travel freely to Cairo. Hamas was also permitted to establish an unofficial presence in the Egyptian capital.

THIS IS IRONIC.  PRIOR TO 1967, THE EGYPTIANS "OCCUPIED" GAZA.  AFTER ISRAEL CAPTURED IT (IN A DEFENSIVE WAR), ISRAEL OFFERED TO GIVE IT BACK TO EGYPT.  EGYPT DECLINED BECAUSE IT THOUGHT THE PALESTINIANS WERE TOO MUCH OF A HEADACHE.