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Egypt to Deploy Troops Along the Border with Israel
(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman told U.S. congressmen in Washington last week that Egypt plans to deploy troops along the border with Israel by the beginning of 2005. According to the 1979 Israeli-Egyptian peace agreement, the Egyptians are only allowed to have civilian police armed with light weapons in the area. During the summer, the two sides were talking about an exchange of letters that would allow the introduction of between 100 and 130 border patrolmen on the Egyptian side of the Gaza border, who would be more heavily armed and better able to battle smugglers. Egypt is also interested in training a special Palestinian unit to put an end to the firing of Kassam rockets from Gaza, said Suleiman. However, Israeli diplomatic officials said the issue is not one of training but of Palestinian willingness to combat the launches. Suleiman also met in Washington with U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and asked Rice to pressure Israel to talk to the PA about disengagement. According to reports reaching Jerusalem, Rice said there is no one to talk to.