Netanyahu: 'Terror' Groups Emerging in Sinai Vacuum

The Egyptian government is having difficulty exerting full control over the Sinai Peninsula, allowing terror groups to flourish there, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.

Netanyahu, who was addressing the Israeli parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee, also said that changes in the region had seen the Hamas movement begin to shift its activities from its headquarters in Syria to Egypt.

"Egypt is having a difficult time exerting its sovereignty over the Sinai," an official quoted Netanyahu as telling the closed door meeting.

"International terror groups are mobilizing in Sinai, increasing their presence due to Sinai's proximity to Gaza," Netanyahu said.

In recent months, unknown militants have twice attacked the pipeline that transfers natural gas from Egypt to Israel and Jordan.

Israel has also issued several travel warnings, cautioning its nationals traveling in the Sinai of the risk of kidnap.

Israel, which had close ties with deposed Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, is also suspicious of the new government, which has shifted course, most recently ending the closure of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Egypt opened the Rafah crossing into Gaza over the weekend, prompting Israel to warn the move would boost Hamas, which is blacklisted as a terrorist group by the European Union and the United States as well as Israel.

The new Egyptian government was also key in brokering a surprise unity pact between Hamas and the rival Fatah movement of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

Netanyahu warned that Hamas appeared to be shifting some of its activity from its main headquarters in Syria to Egypt.

"Hamas is getting stronger in Egypt," he said. "It has transferred some of its activities to Egypt, reducing those in Syria due to the turmoil there."