GAZA Weapons Smuggling: Can It Be Stopped ?

The main way that Hamas is getting weapons into Gaza is smuggling across the Egyptian border known as the Philadelphi Corridor. When Israel controlled the border (before disengagement). There was some smuggling, but since Egypt took responsibility the Gaza border has been as porous as the US/Mexico border.

According to the JPCA

• The Palestinians have brought into Gaza more than 30,000 rifles, more than six million rounds of ammunition, more than 230 tons of explosives, and scores of anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles during the past two years.
  

• The Egyptian police and army have not yet received a clear order to block infiltration or smuggling from Sinai into Gaza. If they have a clear order, they will act. If the Egyptian side will declare the border inside Sinai a closed military zone for three kilometers, I'm sure they can do it.

• During the last year alone, Israel faced more than 1,500 security-related incidents along its border with Egypt.
  

• Israel knows of more than 130 tunnels between Egyptian Rafah and Palestinian Rafah. There is at least the same number that we don't know about. Today, however, most of the weapons can be transferred by truck or car through the Rafah passage.
  

In fact Israel has video tapes showing Egyptian policemen HELPING Palestinian terrorists enter Gaza.


What Can Egypt and Israel Do? Maj.-Gen. (res.) Dr. Yom Tov Samia Former Head of IDF Southern Command who disagreed with the Lebanon withdrawal:

Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000 was seen by the other side as Israel running away from Lebanon. I was at that time commander of the Southern Command, part of the executive management of the army, and I said, if we are going to pull out of Lebanon unilaterally, without any agreement, let's change the rules. I proposed new rules: One, no Hizbullah presence south of the Litani River. Two, if any Israeli settlement or army patrol was attacked by Hizbullah from the Lebanese side of the border, within six hours we would destroy the Syrian army infrastructure in Lebanon (the Syrian army was still in Lebanon at the time). Three, the response to any Katyusha rocket on any settlement in Israel would be the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Lebanon. And these three rules should be declared in every newspaper and TV station in Lebanon.

Of Course those suggestions were ignored. Now the General has Gaza Ideas:

• The Philadelphi corridor should be the first priority for Israel. We should not expect the Egyptians to do the job for us, so this means we should clear the three kilometers from our side. As I have been saying for years, Israel should reoccupy Philadelphi and should stay there until we have had a peaceful relationship with the Palestinians for at least 25 years.

• [Stop Screwing around and enter Gaza NOW] The terrorist groups in Gaza, especially Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are looking only toward the next war with Israel. They are not preparing themselves for any other option. The next round is unavoidable from my point of view, and sooner is better for us.
  

Two simple recommendations. The only way to stop the GAZA Weapons build-up. Unless that leaning tower of Jell-o Israel has for a PM acts and acts soon, things will be much worse when time for the inevitable action occurs...and it will