Israel controls destiny of the crossing, experts say
CAIRO: As the Rafah crossing remains closed, and 4,000 Palestinians are stuck on the Egyptian side of the border, foreign reports place the onus on Egypt for the closure of the crossing, a view with which Egyptian analysts vehemently disagree.
“Egypt doesn’t control the opening and closing of the crossing, Ahmed Thabet, professor of Political Science at Cairo University told The Daily Star Egypt, “that is subject to an agreement that stipulates the presence of EU monitors.
Head of Israeli Studies at Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies Abdel-Aleem Mohammed concurred, telling The Daily Star Egypt “this crossing is controlled by an agreement between Egypt, Israel and the Palestinians which states that the crossing can only be open in the presence of EU monitors.
The EU monitors left when fighting broke out between Fatah and Hamas in Gaza last month.
The International Herald Tribune wrote on July 13, “In a show of force, Egypt has beefed up its border presence, deploying troops with armored carriers strapped with water guns. It has refused to allow the main crossing at Rafah to open, leaving thousands of restless Palestinians stranded in the barren Sinai Peninsula.
“Officials in Cairo have expressed support for Abbas, fearing a Hamas-ruled Gaza on its border could bolster Egypt s own banned Islamic opposition, the Muslim Brotherhood, and spawn terror attacks, the article continued.
However, Mohammed disputes the premise that the closure of the crossing was an Egyptian decision meant to pressure Hamas to return to the fold of the Palestinian Authority.
He said, “It is not in Egyptian interests to pressure Hamas, because that will directly lead to creating pressure on its borders. Egypt does not want trouble in Gaza to spill over into its own territory. Four thousand Palestinians who fled the violence in Gaza last month remain stranded on the Egyptian side of the border unable to return to the Strip. Egypt has beefed up security at the border, deploying hundreds to the 750-strong police force already guarding the border.
The crossing has been closed since June 9 when the Gaza Strip fell to Hamas after the disintegration of the interim government with Fatah and clashes between the two factions broke out.
“Egypt doesn’t make the decision in the tragic situation of the stranded Palestinians, Israel has the final say. It monitors and decides who enters and exits from the territories, Thabet said.
A plan to open up the Israel-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing instead was met with consternation by Hamas, because it would require Palestinians to go through Israel to reach Gaza.
“Egypt and the Palestinian Authority support the opening of the other crossing. However, Hamas greatly objects to it because they would be under direct Israel control, Mohammed said.
“The future of the crossing is tied to the presence of the EU monitors, as well as the outcome of the current situation in Palestine, he added, referring to the schism which sees Fatah in control of the West Bank and Hamas ruling over the Gaza Strip
