A letter
urging Condoleezza Rice to review Egypt’s efforts to stop arms smuggling
into the Gaza Strip garnered signatures from 32 U.S. senators.
“With
the escalation of violence and the increasingly untenable arms buildup in Gaza,
this is a critical moment for all of our allies to curb the proliferation of
weapons and the launching of rockets in the region,” said the letter, sent
to the U.S. secretary of state on June 8, the eve of the conflict in which the
Hamas terrorist group would rout forces loyal to the relatively moderate
Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas.. “The consequences of
inaction can only result in greater death and destruction.”
Israel alleges that arms smuggling into Gaza increased dramatically in 2006.
“The Egyptians play a critical role in Gaza, and we urge you to impress
upon our ally the need the need for them to address the root of the smuggling
infrastructure in Sinai and to uphold their security responsibilities,”
said the letter initiated by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Sen. Norm Coleman
(R-Minn.)
