TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Israel Thursday closed the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt to prevent a top Palestinian official from returning with millions of dollars.
Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas flew in to the neighboring Egyptian El Arish airport and reportedly planned to cross the border with $35 million in hand.
The international community has frozen aid to the Hamas-led government to force it to renounce terror, recognize Israel and honor agreements with it. Israel stopped transferring taxes it collected on the PA's behalf, worsening the economic situation there. Banks have refused to transfer money so Palestinian leaders have been returning from trips abroad with suitcases packed with cash.
Such an infusion could help bolster Hamas in its confrontation with President Mahmoud Abbas' nationalist Fatah Party. Fighting in Gaza has escalated in recent days.
Israel decided to close the border and the 15 European monitors there left for the Kerem Shalom crossing on the Israeli side.
Hamas supporters who planned to greet their returning prime minister after his two-week visit to Iran, Qatar and Sudan turned violent when they learned the crossing was closed. A gun battle erupted with guards; Hamas gunmen also smashed computers and cameras that relayed pictures of the crossing to Israel.
Tehran reportedly promised Haniyeh some $250 million and the Egyptians, who seem wary of Iran's increasing influence, got Haniyeh to leave the money in an Egyptian bank and cross without it.
However the crossing cannot open before the European monitors are back. A spokeswoman for the EU monitors told United Press International it was not immediately clear when the monitors will return.
