Top political official: Egypt prevented terrorist attacks against Israel
Amos Gilad, top Defense Ministry official, to meet with Omar Suleiman, head of Egyptian intelligence, in ongoing quest to weaken Hamas
"The Egyptians have recently prevented terrorist attacks against Israel," Amos Gilad, head of the Defense Ministry's military-political department, told Ynet on Thursday.
According to Gilad, "Egypt is a country with very good intelligence services, although its capabilities must be judged by actions."
Maj. Gen. (res.) Gilad is expected to travel to Cairo this Sunday as part of the political framework of attempting to position Egypt as a central aspect in preventing Hamas from further strengthening itself in the Gaza Strip. Gilad is set to meet with Egyptian Defense Minister, Hussein Tantawi and with Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman who has also been mediating between Israel and Hamas for the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit.
"I believe that soon we will know if Suleiman will come to Israel to visit," Gilad said. "Last week he cancelled his visit following the rise in tensions in the region. The matter has yet to be conclusively decided upon but I assume that it will happen soon."
The security establishment sees Suleiman as the one in charge for intelligence operations in the Sinai Peninsula. The Defense Ministry said that the Egyptian intelligence agency's activities in Sinai have helped reduce the smuggling of weapons and terrorists into the Gaza Strip and helped prevent terrorist attacks.
"We’re expecting two things from the Egyptians," Gilad said. "The first is an end to the rocket fire, which has become a tool of murder and fear. The second is that they will prevent the strengthening of Hamas by the preventing the smuggling of weapons from Sinai to the Gaza Strip.
"Egypt has great intelligence services and they have an important interest no less in acting against extremist elements – they know that the Muslim Brotherhood is likely to become stronger. We're convinced of their capabilities. But everything must be judged by the end results."
Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Barak who cancelled a trip to Washington, DC last week in wake of tensions in the region updated Mubarak on the substance of his meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and with Javier Solana, the EU's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy.
Barak's office said that the defense minister and the Egyptian president also spoke about weapons smuggling in Sinai and the ongoing rocket fire on Israel's south.
