Disgruntled Bedouins fire at Gazans

[oberliner]

Armed Egyptian Bedouins opened fire in the air to warn away Palestinians, highlighting growing anger over food shortages and price rises triggered by the breaching of the border wall with Gaza, witnesses said.

The confrontation in the town of al-Joura occurred as residents on the Egyptian side of the border said shops had run out of goods since hundreds of thousands of Palestinians poured into Egypt when Hamas blew up the wall last week.

"The stores are empty and what is available is so expensive," said Youssef Ali, a Bedouin in the divided border town of Rafah. "The Bedouins are poor. The income of many Bedouins is not more than $30 a month."

The emptying of shop shelves and a block by Cairo on new supplies has prompted thousands of Palestinians to go home since Sunday, with some saying it was now easier to shop in Gaza than in Egypt.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3499950,00.html

[Scurrilous]

1. Egyptians vent over Gaza border chaos

<snip>

"Egyptians living near the breached border with Gaza were growing increasingly frustrated with the influx of hundreds of thousands Palestinians over the past week, warning that chaos was brewing and demanding the crisis be resolved.

Cars and trucks traveled freely across the border from Gaza to Egypt for a seventh day Tuesday. Masses of Palestinians have poured in unchecked over the past week after Hamas militants blasted down parts of the partition so Gazans could escape tight closures of the territory's borders with Israel and Egypt.

Store shelves were empty on the Egyptian side of the town of Rafah, which had been divided by the border before the breach. Street traffic was chaotic and organization among police and other security officers was dismal.

Safwat Hammad, a shopkeeper on the Egyptian side of Rafah, said he filled his store twice with food, but he was nearly sold out again on Tuesday.

"We were happy for opening the borders. At least we were able to see our loved ones. But they should have been more organized," Hammad, 26, said. "I have nothing else to sell. God forbid, they will also buy the air and we will not be able to breathe."

more

[Vegasaurus]

2. Who's going to scream at Egypt for collective punishment

since they aren't restocking their shelves or gas stations. Shouldn't they be getting food and fuel in for the Palestinians too? Or is it now that obvious that the Egyptians don't want to deal with the Palestinians either?

[subsuelo]

4. what is it you think you are defending (or excusing)?

[LeftishBrit]

3. The violence described here is of course inexcusable

But it brings up some issues that are often not discussed. The Bedouin people of Egyptian Sinai are treated pretty appallingly by their government. Like most nomadic people, the Bedouin have not been treated well by anyone, including the Israelis; but Egypt is the country which has the most power over this group, and it doesn't seem to be using this power well:

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2005/egypt0205/3.htm

http://www.tharwaproject.org/node/2286

http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4635&l=1

http://www.colorq.org/HumanRights/article.aspx?d=Egypt&x=Sinai3

http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/12/egypt-bedouins-of-sinai-crisis-11-year-old-mother-blogger-awarded-and-more/


When we condemn all occupations and human rights violations, perhaps this disadvantaged group should receive a bit more international concern than it sometimes does.

[bemildred]

5. Disgruntled bedouins have been know to fire at all sorts of people. nt