According to the JPost, Egypt has exhibited some interest in the idea as a way to clamp down on the smuggeling that has seen 30 tons of high-grade explosives making its way into the Gaza strip.
“Last month, OC Planning Division Maj.-Gen. Ido Nehushtan traveled to Egypt for talks with security officials there about areas of cooperation with Israel. Ever since the withdrawal from the Sinai Desert under the Camp David peace accord in 1982, Israel and Egypt defense officials have held annual meetings to coordinate security matters affecting the two countries.
According to a defense official involved in the talks, Nehushtan raised the possibility of the moat with the Egyptians during his recent meeting with them and was told that they would consider it positively. The official explained that the moat was back on the table after the Egyptian border police force of 750 soldiers had proven inadequate in the fight against the tunnel operators on the Egyptian side of the border. “The moat option still exists,” the defense official said.”
“Only if Israel is guaranteed that its existence will not be threatened and the Palestinians are allowed to form a viable state can we achieve a durable and viable solution.” “I defend the right of Israel to protect itself against external aggression, particularly when it takes the form of blind and cowardly acts of terrorism,” he declared. “But the measures taken must not condemn the search for a negotiated peace settlement. They must be appropriate and proportional.”
Then there is the statements by officials close to Sarkozy who go on to elaborate even further:
“When there are Kassams and Katyushas being fired into Israel, where is the problem in defending yourself?” one official said. “Israel cannot compromise its security, otherwise it will be the civilian population that will suffer.” The official argued that Israel’s West Bank barrier, even when it cuts through Palestinian territory, falls under the jurisdiction of security. “When there is peace, the route will be reworked,” he said. “For now, it is in disputed territory. First, let Israel and the Palestinians reach a peace agreement, and then, once there is a deliberate step toward peace by the Palestinians, the details can be worked out.”
