May 20, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 14, 1429

SHARM EL-SHEIKH (Egypt), May 19: Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak warned on Monday after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that continued rocket fire from the Hamas-run Gaza Strip could accelerate a military conflict in the territory.

Barak told Mubarak, whose government is mediating a truce between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, that “the ongoing rocket fire against civilian targets and terror activity from the Gaza Strip could accelerate an escalation towards a military conflict,” his office said.

The defence minister reiterated Israel’s demand “to accelerate and advance the talks for the release of captured soldier Gilad Shalit as part of any attempt to normalise the situation on the ground.” Barak also called for an end to Hamas’s “military build up by thwarting weapon smuggling, terror money transfers and entry of terror activists” into Gaza.

The comments seemed to be aimed at Egypt which Israel has accused of not doing enough to stem arms smuggling.

Barak also met Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh where political leaders and business people are gathered for the Middle East World Economic Forum.

Egypt has been acting as mediator because Israel refuses to negotiate directly with the Hamas as it considers the group to be a terrorist organisation.

In exchange for stopping rocket attacks, Hamas has said it wants Israel to lift the blockade of Gaza and reopen border crossings, especially Rafah on the frontier with Egypt.

Israel has demanded an end to rocket attacks and arms smuggling from Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, as well as progress in negotiations to release Shalit, captured by Palestinian militants in 2006.

But Hamas wants 450 Palestinian prisoners freed in exchange for Shalit, whose fate has become a sticking point in negotiations.

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Monday to be briefed on Israel’s response to the Egyptian-mediated truce.—AFP