The Palestinian National Authority ( PNA) denied on Saturday Israeli allegations that it had recently allowed members of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) who were wanted by Israel for alleged involvement in anti-Israel attacks to return to Gaza via the Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border.

Israeli officials said on Friday that Israel complained to the United States that the PNA had given a green light to 10-15 wanted Hamas members to enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing.

The wanted Hamas members, the Israeli officials said, were either expelled from or fled the Palestinian territories before the eruption of the first Palestinian Intifada (Uprising) in 1987.

Among them were the senior Hamas leader Ahmed el-Malah who helped found the group and Fadel Zahar, brother of Hamas prominent leader Mahmoud Zahar.

Meanwhile, Israel Radio reported that aides of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited Cairo last week and asked Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to tighten security measures at Rafah.

Hamas, growing over the past five years of violence with Israel, is sworn to destruct the Jewish state.

The key Rafah crossing, under joint operation of the Palestinian and Egyptian security forces in the presence of European Union monitors, was re-opened on Nov. 26.

Israel has voiced concerns that the crossing, under the Israeli control for decades, might be used by Palestinian militants to return to Gaza or smuggle weapons.

Source: Xinhua