Israel protests Gaza pilgrims getting out

Published: December 06, 2007

Palestinian pilgrims wait to leave through the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt shortly before Egypt opened its border Monday and Tuesday to let Hajj Muslim pilgrims bound for Saudi Arabia leave the Palestinian coastal enclave. Egypt said it may let about 2,200 Palestinian pilgrims cross the border. (MaanImages/Hatem Omar via Newscom)

Israel said on Thursday that it has protested to Egypt for opening a border crossing with Gaza for the first time since the Hamas takeover to allow Muslim pilgrims to leave on the annual Hajj.

"Israel expressed its dissatisfaction and its preoccupation to Egypt" via diplomatic channels, a foreign ministry official said.

Another official said: "Israel is worried about the risk that terrorists may slip through among the pilgrims to go train in Iran."

Since Monday, some 2,000 Palestinians from Gaza have been allowed to cross into Egypt via the Rafah border crossing. That is the only crossing that bypasses Israel and it has been closed since Islamist Hamas seized power in the territory in June.

The Palestinians were headed toward Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage to Muslim holy sites, known as the Hajj.

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