Bad timing for Gaza border blunder

By Jonathan Marcus
BBC Diplomatic Correspondent

The killing by an Israeli tank shell of three members of the Egyptian security forces along the Gaza-Egypt border comes at a difficult moment.

Israel has kept a close grip on the Gaza-Egyptian border

Egypt will have a key role to play if Israel does indeed press ahead with its unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

The timing of this incident is unfortunate to say the least and not surprisingly both sides appear to be playing down its significance.

It comes just as Israel and Egypt are trying to agree on new security arrangements for the western border of the Gaza Strip.

Should Israel proceed with its unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, both the Israeli and Egyptian governments have a common interest in ensuring that the area does not become a hot-bed of violence and unrest.

Israel had proposed holding onto a narrow strip of territory - the so-called Philadelphi route - along the Gaza-Egypt border - due to worries about arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip.

Better communication

Now though, there are signs that Israel's preferred option would be to leave the Gaza Strip altogether, providing that is, it can be assured that Egyptian security forces will tackle the smuggling problem.

Egypt has proposed deploying two battalions of border guards along its Sinai frontier with Israel.

This would require some amendment to the military appendix of the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.

But Israel's key concern is the role that the Cairo government might play in securing the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

The Egyptians and Israelis have had a series of high-level meetings to discuss this issue, with Egypt, understandably perhaps, unwilling to be drawn into security problems within the Gaza Strip itself.

Whatever the outcome, Israel's so-called unilateral disengagement is a misnomer.

If it is to have any chance of working without leaving chaos in its wake, then it will need to some extent to be negotiated, with both the Egyptians and the Palestinian Authority.

And this latest incident shows the urgent need for better communications and coordination between the various security forces that might police any new boundaries.