Palestinian sources have revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the delegation sent by the organisation Hamas to meet Egyptian intelligence leaders in Cairo yesterday presented a paper answering all questions posed by Cairo to Hamas regarding the security situation. The questions were posed in an earlier meeting and the paper included answers and explanations that respond to Cairo’s accusations against Hamas including spying on the Egyptian army and filming it with modern cameras or small aircraft. At the same time, the paper confirms that the organisation is controlling the border with Egypt and will prevent any acts of aggression against it.

During meetings that took place earlier this month, the Egyptian government presented the organisation with documents, photographs and information that accused Hamas of incitement and working against Egypt in favour of Muslim Brotherhood agendas, harbouring wanted Egyptian militants, allowing them to move between Gaza and Sinai, exporting weapons to Sinai and spying on the Egyptian army. Egypt demanded that Hamas disassociate itself from the Muslim Brotherhood, control borders, prosecute militants and prevent their movement to and from Sinai, share any security information affecting Egypt’s national security and stop the smuggling of weapons to and from Sinai.

Hamas informed Cairo yesterday that it will fulfil the requests and provide Cairo with detailed explanations about the issues raised by Egypt.

Meanwhile, a report prepared by the leftist organisation Gush Shalom (The Peace Bloc) revealed that the international boycott of products produced by Israeli companies operating in settlements in the West Bank is pushing an increasing number of companies to move their activities from the settlements to within the Green Line. The report indicates a sharp decline in the number of companies that operate in the occupied territories because of the international boycott and that they prefer to disassociate themselves from the settlements.