FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2008

SDEROT FAMILIES SUE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT

Victims of Rocket Attacks Charge Mubarak With Assisting Terror

Ten families of Sderot residents, whose relatives were killed or
seriously injured by Kassam rockets, have filed a lawsuit against the
Egyptian government in the Be'er Sheva District Court. The court
complaint accuses Egypt of intentionally assisting the Palestinian
terror organizations in smuggling explosives and weapons into the Hamas
controlled Gaza strip.

The plaintiffs argue in the lawsuit, that the explosives are being used
by the terrorist groups to manufacture the Kassam rockets being launched
into Sderot.
Since Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, the Sderot residents have lived
under continuous Kassam attacks which have turned their lives into a
living hell. The plaintiffs contend that the Egyptian government is the
party largely responsible for aiding Hamas, Fatah and the Islamic Jihad
in terrorizing the entire Negev.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs argue that Cairo assists the terror
organizations by authorizing the smuggling of tons of explosives and
thousands of weapons into Gaza. Egypt also allows terrorists to cross
back and forth from the Egyptian held Sinai into Gaza, permitting them
an open route to and from terrorist training bases in states like Iran,
Lebanon and Syria. Egypt additionally, assists the terror organizations
with their training in these rogue regimes, which is eventually utilized
against Israeli civilians. Moreover, plaintiffs argue in the lawsuit,
that Egypt assist the Palestinian terror organizations in smuggling tens
of millions dollars inside Gaza, which is used for the benefit of
terror attacks and to strengthen Hamas' effective control. Much of the
funds being smuggled in from Egypt is utilized for terror attacks
against Sderot residents.

Plaintiffs are represented by attorney Nitsana Darshan- Leitner,
Director of Shurat HaDin -Israel Law Center.

The plaintiffs are demanding that Egypt compensate their families in the
amount of NIS 260,000,000 ($65,000,000 US).

The lawsuit comes in the wake of increasing tension between Israel and
Egypt regarding Egypt's role in assisting the terrorists' smuggling
operations. In recent weeks, Jerusalem and Cairo have exchanged public
accusations against each other. According to the Israeli government,
although Egypt is technically Israel's ally, it continuously acts in
order to weaken Israel and strengthen the terror organizations in Gaza..

After Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, Egypt had accepted
responsibility to police the border with Gaza. Its obligations on the
border include preventing any hostile activity against Israel, including
obstructing smuggling operations in the Philadelphia Route. Despite
this, Egypt intentionally breeches this agreement and enables the
terrorist organizations free passageway within its territory, which is
being used for transferring many of tons of weapons and Iranian
funds. As such, the plaintiffs argue in the lawsuit, that there is no
actual difference between the Egyptian government and the terrorist
groups launching the Kassams from Beit Hanun. Both are equally
responsible for the Sderot casualties. There is reliable evidence
supporting that the allegations that Egypt deliberately assists Hamas'
smuggling operations. Plaintiffs argue that without Egyptian President
Mubarak's assistance, the terror organizations wouldn't be able to
murder Sderot residents.

tilAccording to attorney Nitsana Darshan Leitner: "Egypt has been
repeatedly warned by Israel and by the American Congress to stop its
support of the Hamas smuggling operation in Gaza. Despite the so-called
peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, it refuses to do so, due to
the simple fact that Mubarak wants to bleed Israel with the Kassam
rockets. According to the Egyptian point of view, the Arab world's
decades long war against Israel lingers on to this day, and what Cairo
couldn't achieve in 1973, it continues to attempt to achieve now via
Hamas' attacks. Just as Iran utilizes Hizbullah in Lebanon to be its
proxy in terrorizing Israel, Egypt utilizes Hamas and Islamic Jihad in
Gaza. In the mean time, Sderot residents suffer all the casualties."

FOR MORE INFORMATION: (972)-03-751-4175 (ISRAEL), 212-591-0073 (US)

Email: nitsanad@zahav.net.il