Yesterday’s lengthy New York Times article on the plight of Gaza merchants — including an arms-smuggler named Muhammad — featured the following gem:

Hamas is working with the Egyptians to destroy unauthorized tunnels, Muhammad said, while the Egyptians, under pressure from the United States and Israel, have recently changed all the security officers along the border, replacing many of those who had been bought off by smugglers. Egypt, he said, is clearing almost 1,000 feet of houses from the Egyptian side of Rafah, a city cut in two by the border.

When Israel cleared Palestinian houses in Rafah to stop smuggling tunnels, there was an international uproar and many demonstrations. Will there be demonstrations in Egypt? Muhammad roared with laughter.

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