Israel minister accuses Egypt of letting arms into Gaza

"The Egyptians can take immediate and decisive steps to stop it (the alleged arms smuggling) but haven't done this over the past seven years," Public Security Minister Avi Dichter told army radio.

Dichter's comments came a day after the deputy head of the Shin Beth internal security service expressed concern at what he said was a surge in arms trafficking from Egypt into neighbouring Gaza, which has been controlled by the Islamist Hamas movement since June 15.

Forty tonnes of weapons and explosives have been smuggled from Egypt into the Gaza Strip in the past two months, a senior government official quoted the Shin Beth commander as telling ministers during the weekly cabinet meeting.

"Any sensible Egyptian, Israeli or Palestinian could not escape the conclusion that Egypt doesn't mind having a strong Hamas in the Gaza Strip," said Dichter, who is himself a former Shin Beth chief.

"I believe Egypt has an interest in having a strong Hamas."

In August alone, some 13 tonnes of explosives and 150 anti-tank rocket launchers were smuggled into the Gaza Strip, the Shin Beth said.

The security service estimated that 33 tonnes of explosives were brought in in 2006, compared to six tonnes in 2005, in addition to 14,000 assault rifles, 150 rocket-propelled grenade launchers and 20 missiles, the source added.

Dichter's comments came despite the strong public opposition of Egypt to the Hamas takeover of Gaza from forces loyal to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, which it described as a "coup against legitimacy."

In recent months, the Egyptian authorities have also been carrying out an intensifying crackdown against Hamas's ideological soulmate, the Muslim Brotherhood, which they regard as their main domestic threat.

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