Yediot Ahronot: Egypt proposes water barrier and kilometer wide sterile zone
in Philadelphi Corridor
Dr. Aaron Lerner 23 February 2007

Yediot Ahronot correspondent Alex Fishman reported in the 21 February
edition that Egypt proposed to Israel to dig a deep trench on the
Philadelphi Corridor to be flooded with water from the Mediterranean in
order to prevent smuggling from Sinai into the Gaza Strip. According to
Fishman, the Egyptians raised the proposal during meetings with IDF
officials and U.S. General Dayton along with a proposal to create a sterile
cleared kilometer wide band on the Egyptian side of the Philadelphi
Corridor.

The Egyptians asked for American funding both for the work and for
compensation for the Rafah residents who would have to be relocated from the
area near the Philadelphi Corridor.

Fishman reported that the ideas have been under discussion for a number of
months.

Israeli security officials expressed doubts to Fishman that the Egyptians
would really carry out the work if they received the funding from the U.S.

The independent (European government funded) Palestinian news agency, Ma'an,
reported (see below) that Egyptian security sources deny the water barrier
story but the Ma'an item does not mention any Egyptian response regarding
the reported proposal to create a sterile zone. IMRA has contacted Ma'an
asking for a clarification.

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Egypt reject reports of a deep water canal along Gaza-Egypt border
Date: 21 / 02 / 2007 Time: 21:30
www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=19758

Gaza - Ma'an - High ranking Egyptian security sources have rejected reports,
published on Tuesday in Israeli newspapers, that Egypt had suggested digging
a deep water canal along the Philadelphia corridor, which borders Egypt and
the Gaza Strip, aimed at preventing the smuggling of arms into the Gaza
Strip.

The same sources told Ma'an that the canal was "an old idea which the
Israelis suggested to the Egyptians and the Palestinians, but both parties
absolutely rejected it". Scientists at that time stated that the canal would
harm the environment, ruining a large area of agricultural lands on both
sides of the border. The scientists also said that the water from the
Mediterranean would raise the level of salt in the soil, further damaging
chances of agriculture.