EGYPT: HAMAS CARRYING 2-MILLION DOLLARS IS BLOCKED AT GAZA BORDER

Cairo, 15 Nov. (AKI) - Egyptian frontier police have prevented a Palestinian parliamentarian belonging to Hamas from entering the Gaza Strip after he was found carrying a case containing two- million US dollars. According to Egyptian security sources, the parliamentarian, Mushir al-Masri, was detained after he tried to enter Gaza through the Rafah pass, on Tuesday night. The Hamas parliamentarian was later released after being questioned by police, but was turned away from the border.

According to Palestinian sources the money carried by Masri is needed to support the Palestinian people, suffering from the economic embargo imposed by the international community in protest with Hamas' refusal to comply to a series of conditions including renouncing violence and recognising Israel.

Tuesday's incident is not the first time Palestinian officials have been discovered trying to smuggle cash into the Palestinian territories in what appears to be a plan by the Palestinian Authority Hamas government to circumvent the embargo.