Washington: Egyptian role contributed to success of Israeli withdrawal

Senior US officials said the role played by Egypt for securing the success of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza was significant, hailing Egyptian efforts which have helped the Palestinian authority in maintaining calm on frontiers between Egypt and Gaza strip.

General William Ward, the US security coordinator of security affairs with the Palestinian authority, said in his testimony before the US House of Representatives sub-committee on the Middle East that the support offered by Egypt was extremely important in securing the success of withdrawal.

The US general said Egypt sponsored talks among Palestinian factions and helped in reaching an agreement guaranteeing calm among the Palestinian authority and different Palestinian organizations and offered advice, training and equipment for the Palestinian security troops. He said Egypt sent more than 30 security advisors to Gaza where they played an extremely important role in securing Israeli withdrawal.

He said Egypt also offered substantial material assistance represented in providing means for enabling Palestinian security troops of deployment in Gaza, official uniform and foodstuffs for the Palestinian soldiers. He said all this assistance has contributed to upgrading morale of the Palestinian soldiers and improved their performance during the past period.

David Welch, the Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East affairs said in his testimony before the same committee that the assistance offered by Egypt and its intensive efforts to support the Arab states was significant, referring rallying support by Egypt and Jordan to convince the Arab states of offering assistance to the Palestinian authority.

He told the Congressmen that the state of chaos that was seen on the Gaza-Egypt borders after the Israeli troop pullout had ended and that conditions there had returned under control.