After the 1948 Arab invasion of Israel failed, Egypt refused to allow a Palestinian state orr self-determination in Gaza. Egypt used Gaza as a base for fedayeen raids on Israel, while ruling with an iron fist, preventing Palestinians from entering egypt. Egypt`s main goal was to use its population as cannon fodder against Israel.
Israel`s conquest of the Sinai in the 1967 Six-Day War forced a change in tactics but not the goal. When Egypt took back the Sinai in 1982, it REFUSED TO TAKE BACK GAZA (as Israel requested). As with every issue during the Camp David negotiations Carter sided with Egypt.
Throughout the 1980`s and 1990`s Egypt allowed smuggling of weapons into Gaza, while continuing to clamp down on individual Palestinians. Its overriding goal remained to use Gaza as a means to delegitimize Israel, while talking publicly of "humanitarian"needs. |
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