On the eve of a key visit by an Egyptian mediator, Palestinian officials sent conflicting signals on Tuesday on how much involvement they will accept from their neighbor after an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
Egypt and the Palestinians have a historically uneasy relationship, and Egypt's proposed role in securing Gaza -- once ruled by Cairo -- has many Palestinians worried they'll be replacing one occupation with another.
Egypt demands that in preparation for an Israeli withdrawal, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat restructure his tangled security forces and relinquish some control over them. It also wants to send 200 military advisers to Gaza to retrain Palestinian security forces.
Palestinians are wary. An Arafat ally said on Tuesday that Egypt shouldn't meddle or press for security reform, and Palestinian militants angrily rejected any planned Egyptian security role in Gaza. Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath tried to soften the rare criticism by saying Cairo's help is welcome.
Further complicating matters, Israel is resisting an Egyptian demand that it halt military activities in Gaza after the advisers arrive there, an Israeli official said on condition of anonymity. However, Israel expects to be able to reach a compromise on the matter, the official said.
With Israel shunning the Palestinians as unreliable negotiating partners, Egypt -- fearing chaos on its border with Gaza -- has been trying to ensure order there after a pullout, planned for next year. The latest dispute threatens those efforts and leaves Gaza's future uncertain.
Egypt has a rocky history with the Palestinians. It took little responsibility for the Palestinians in Gaza when it ruled the region before Israel captured it in 1967 and worked to keep Palestinian refugees out of the country. That did not prevent Egyptian leaders from using the Palestinian cause to try to galvanize the Arab world behind its leadership.
But as the most influential Arab country at peace with Israel, it is now a key broker in the region.
Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman was to hold talks in Jerusalem yesterday with Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. Afterward, he was to head to Ramallah to meet with Arafat.
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