DEBKAfile
Hamas released Saturday a batch of documents captured in the Palestinian Authority’s intelligence archives in Gaza, which include complete maps in the hands of the Palestinian Preventive Security service and Egyptian intelligence of 22 gunrunning tunnels from Sinai to Gaza. Exes marked the points of ingress and exit under cover of buildings.
This incriminating expose attesting to the two governments’ deliberate inaction in preventing the Hamas military build-up is important on three counts:
1. Hamas is abreast of the secret information in the possession of Egyptian and Palestinian Authority intelligence, and can make the necessary adjustments for keeping the smuggling routes running.
2. Israel was talking to the wall when its ministers kept on appealing to the Mubarak government year after year to block the smuggling tunnels. It is clear that Cairo never had an intention of lifting a finger to stop the illicit weapons reaching Gaza and Hamas arsenals. Will Olmert keep up the charade at Sharm al-Sheikh?
3. Since Egyptian intelligence and Mahmoud Abbas’ security services had precise knowledge of 22 tunnels at least, how come this information was never obtained by Israeli intelligence?
Tunnels can be redug easily. they want to embarass the Fatah, Dahlan and Abbas. They are competing for the streets popularity. We all said it was stupid to give up control of Border to Egypt, we all said that retreat from Gaza would come back to haunt us. The same people who advocated, or did not oppose, and the same media and press are still in place. To admit they were in error is like a life long communist saying that communism is false. They cannot say they erred as to do so would mean that their continuation as politicians, Commanders in the Mil. or credibility as journalists, academics,commentators would fall below acceptable levels so they all spin hoping with much confidence that the public has short memories and no one will call them on their past follies. They are right; so past follies continue to be todays follies and probably tomorrows.
I’m puzzled, not for the first time by ‘news’ from Debka, if Hamas want to keep the smuggling tunnels open, why would they publish detailed maps of them?