WikiLeaks: Suleiman promised to stop Gaza elections
Egyptian VP said he will "take care of" Gaza, stop Hamas from gaining control, in meeting with Israeli official.
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman promised Israel in 2005 that he would prevent Hamas from gaining control over Gaza, according to a US diplomatic cable released on Friday.According to the cable, which was leaked to WikiLeaks and published by Norweigan newspaper Aftenposten, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, head of the Defense Ministry's Diplomatic-Security Bureau, secretly visited Suleiman, then the head of Egyptian intelligence, in September 2005. Gilad then reported on the visit to US diplomats in Tel Aviv.RELATED:PA paying salaries to Hamas men in Israel’s prisonsMubarak remains in power, passes some authority to SuleimanGilad and Suleiman discussed their common fear of Hamas winning the Palestinian elections set for January 2006.Suleiman said to Gilad: "There will be no elections in January. We will take care of it."Suleiman did not elaborate as to how Egypt would stop the elections.The US embassy in Tel Aviv wrote that Suleiman opposes Hamas because of fears that Islamic leadership in Gaza will strengthen the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.Suleiman was recently appointed vice-president of Egypt, and on Thursday night, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak transferred most of his powers to Suleiman.