Steel wall between Egypt and Gaza to be completed by the end of summer 2010

[ 07/06/2010 - 06:27 PM ]

CAIRO, (PIC)--

An Egyptian security official said on Monday that Egypt will complete the construction of the steel wall rooted underground between Egypt and the Gaza Strip by the end of this summer, causing greater restrictions on Palestinians trapped for the fourth consecutive year, confirming that they will close up every last tunnel.

Egyptian authorities began building the barrier last year with the declared aim of preventing smuggling of "narcotics" while in fact it was preventing goods and basic human needs from entering the Gaza Strip through a network of underground tunnels.

The blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip was the major topic on the agenda of discussions between U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh. Biden said in a statement after the meeting that the United States will consult with Egypt and its other collaborators on new ways to deal with the humanitarian, economic, political, and security situation in Gaza.

The Egyptian official, who requested anonymity, was asked by reporters about the date of completion for the construction of the wall between Gaza and Egypt. He replied, "We hope that it will be complete by the end of the summer," pointing out that Egypt had "opened the Rafah crossing and will not close it up as long as there is no trespassing" from the Palestinian side.

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