Hamas: France helps Israel in Gaza siege
Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:01:23 GMT
Hamas has condemned the deployment of a French frigate off the coast of Gaza, saying it would reinforce an Israeli blockade on the strip.
Prime Minister Ismail Haniya lashed out at French President Nicolas Sarkozy over the deployment of the warship to the area allegedly to fight ‘arms smuggling’ into the coastal region.
“We expected France, whose motto is ‘liberty, equality, fraternity’ to send hospital ships to treat the children burned by banned weapons or to set up a humanitarian bridge… rather than deploy a navy ship to reinforce the blockade,” said Haniya in a statement Tuesday.
Egypt warns Europe against sending ships to Gaza
Aziz El-Kaissouni, Reuters, 27 January 2009
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt warned European countries on Tuesday to think carefully before sending ships to patrol Gaza’s coastal waters to prevent arms smuggling, saying such a move could have significant consequences on ties with Arab states.
The warning by Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit came after British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Britain, France and Germany had offered to send warships to monitor and prevent arms smuggling to Gaza and to help consolidate a shaky ceasefire.
Germany, however, says it will not send a warship.