Report: Haniyeh brings millions into Gaza

Al-Ahram newspaper says Palestinian prime minister entered Gaza Strip from Egypt carrying millions of dollars; Egyptian law allows individuals to carry large sums of money in out of country so long they disclose amount
Roee Nahmias

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh brought USD 20 million into the Gaza Strip on his return from Saudi Arabi via Egypt, the Cairo-based daily al-Ahram reports.

The newspaper said Egyptian customs officers at the Rafah border crossing allowed Haniyeh to cross into Gaza after he disclosed the amount of money he was carrying in accordance with Egyptian law.

Under Egyptian law, individuals carrying large sums of money brought from foreign countries can keep hold of their funds upon leaving Egypt.

Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak told Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during talks in Cairo on Friday that Egypt will not stop Palestinian officials from carrying large sums of money into Gaza so long the transfer is done in accordance with Egyptian laws.

Olmert expressed Israel's concern over arms smuggling from Egypt into Gaza: "I expressed my concern and Israel's concern of the fact that there are arms smuggling operations from the Philadelphi route into the Gaza Strip and attempts to smuggle money through the Rafah crossing."

Mubarak was said to have promised Olmert to intensify Egyptian efforts to curb arms smuggling from Egypt to Gaza.

Haniyeh returned to Gaza from Saudi Arabia where he was on Hajj. Haniyeh held talks with Hamas' politburo Khaled Mashaal in Medina and both leaders met with Egyptian intelligence minister Omar Suleiman.

Last month Defense Minister Amir Peretz ordered the Israel Defense Forces to prevent Haniyeh from crossing the Rafah crossing for carrying undisclosed sums of money.

Haniyeh was let in after agreeing to leave the money in Egypt.