VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #3923 1761538
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 251538Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9438
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 003923 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MOPS MEPN KPAL EG IS
SUBJECT: ATTACK ON KEREM SHALOM CROSSING:  EGYPTIAN 
REACTIONS 
 
REF: WELCH/JONES/RICCARDONE 06/25/2006 TELCOM 
 
Classified by Ambassador Francis Ricciardone for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (C) On June 25, the Ambassador discussed the recent 
attack on Israeli forces at the Kerem Shalom crossing with 
Defense Minister Tantawi, Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit, and 
EGIS Deputy Gohar (in Minister Soliman's absence).  All three 
agencies were obviously following events closely and they 
have compared reports with us throughout the day.  They 
indicated that their respective channels with the Israelis 
were working, and that Egypt was deeply concerned both about 
potential Israeli reactions and about Hamas' role in the 
attack.  In particular, MOD worried that renewed violence in 
Gaza could impel panicked attempts at another mass breach of 
the Rafah border, as last occurred in January. 
 
¶2.  (C) By noon, we received confirmation that all of the 
border crossings between Egypt, Israel, and Gaza had been 
closed.  According to the MFO, a group of Israeli soldiers 
had been scheduled to cross at Kerem Shalom to go to MFO's 
North Camp for training but were not permitted to do so. 
They unsuccessfully tried to cross into Egypt at another 
border point further south.  It is not clear if they were 
stopped by the Israelis or the Egyptians. 
 
¶3.  (C) Per ref telcom, Ambassador urged Hossam Gohar, deputy 
chief of EGIS for international affairs, to use GOE influence 
with the Palestinians to reduce tensions and restore peace. 
Specifically, he also requested that the GOE prevent 
Palestinian Foreign Minister Zahar from leaving Gaza and to 
offer all possible assistance to Israel in its search for the 
missing soldier. 
 
¶4.  (C) Previously, the Egyptians had positioned firetrucks 
on the border that could be used to aim high-powered 
waterhoses at individuals trying to cross from Gaza into 
Egypt.  According to LAWIO's director Major General Nagy M. 
Kamal, Egypt recently staged additional firetrucks in 
anticipation of future unrest. 
 
¶5.  (U) Egyptian television's Gaza correspondent Walid Abdel 
Rahman reported that Israeli forces with heavy machine-guns 
and artillery are in Rafah and that MFO personnel were unable 
to approach the area.  Rahman said that a wide-scale Israeli 
military operation is expected.  Rahman quoted Palestinian 
sources as saying that the attack was in response to Israel's 
military escalation and the recent assassination of 
resistance leaders.  He said that according to Israeli 
sources, four Palestinian attackers were killed. 
RICCIARDONE