Egypt defends Gaza wall

Cairo, 23 Dec-(ANA)-Egypt's foreign minister has said that a controversial wall being built along the country's border with the Gaza Strip will defend it "against threats to national security".

Ahmed Aboul Gheit's comments, reported by the state-owned Mena news agency on Tuesday, were the first official acknowledgement of the construction, which has been heavily criticised by Hamas.

Gheit said that the measures along the border involve "construction, engineering work and ultrasound equipment".

The new barrier is believed to consist of a series of steel sheets and pipes that will be buried deep into the ground to prevent the construction of smuggling tunnels under the 14km frontier.

Israel has repeatedly complained that Egypt has not done enough to prevent smuggling into Gaza through such tunnels, which it says are used to supply Hamas with explosives and arms.(ANA)

FA/ANA/23 December 2009---