Hamas hails decision to permanently open Rafah border crossing

[News_Editor]

Hamas hails decision to permanently open Rafah border crossing

2011-05-27 01:35:35 GMT+7 (ICT)

GAZA (BNO NEWS) -- Hamas, one of the main Palestinian factions, on Thursday hailed the courageous decision by the Egyptian ruling military council to permanently open the Rafah border crossing.

According to the Palestine News Network, the crossing will be reopened on Saturday and will remain this way except on Fridays and holidays. The decision was made as part of the attempts to end the Palestinian division.

Furthermore, Egypt's ruling council said that the permanent opening of the crossing is part oft eh efforts to achieve national reconciliation as remarked in the recent unity deal signed by all Palestinian factions in Cairo.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said the move was a "responsible decision" that represented the view of both the Egyptian and Palestinian population. He added that Hamas believed this to be the first decisive step in ending the siege on Gaza.

Palestinian men under the age of 18 and above 40 as well as students and women of all ages will not be required a visa to cross the Rafah border. Due to the blockade, tunnels have been used to smuggle goods into the region.

"This is an important move for the entry and exit of Palestinian citizens, and we hope it will be developed to enable the Rafah crossing to handle goods in the future," Hamas spokesman Taher Al-Nono said.

The Israeli government welcomed the reopening of the crossing as it supports the transit of goods in and out of the Gaza Strip. The Jewish nation remarked that it is focused on disrupting arms trafficking and other support to Hamas.

The Rafah border crossing is the only way in and out of Gaza which does not pass through Israeli soil. In February, Egypt opened the crossing to allow limited passage in both directions. The border access was closed during the January unrest in the North African country.

Last year, Egyptian authorities decided to open the Rafah border crossing to Gaza following the attack on a Pro-Gaza aid flotilla by the Israeli navy to allow humanitarian and medical aid as well as receiving patients in need of urgent medical attention.

The crossing opening was decided in part due to the pressure by Arabs and Palestinians to end the three-year blockade imposed by Israel after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-05-27

[johna]

Good news indeed, the first fruit of the Arab Spring.

[Ulysses G.]

the courageous decision by the Egyptian ruling military council

Just in case anyone thinks that BNO News is "unbiased" - a little but of editorializing here.

[metisdead]

Some off topic posts have been removed.

[geriatrickid]

Yes, what a wonderful gesture. Now the shakedown of arabs at the border points, the thefts and inflated prices charged people in the border towns will not be impeded. If the Egyptians had 1/2 a brain they'd follow the US-Canada border example and create a retail sector zone intended to serve the Gaza strip residents instead of ripping them off.

[Steely Dan]

Yes, what a wonderful gesture. Now the shakedown of arabs at the border points, the thefts and inflated prices charged people in the border towns will not be impeded. If the Egyptians had 1/2 a brain they'd follow the US-Canada border example and create a retail sector zone intended to serve the Gaza strip residents instead of ripping them off.

I would hope they follow the US-Canada border policing in one other aspect - cavity searches.

[samurai]

If the Egyptians had 1/2 a brain...

I heard of some recent studied that Egyptians have a full brains.

Only the mummies had the brain removed, that left many some historians on the middle-east puzzled about the question if Egyptians have brains.

[up-country_sinclair]

In addition to providing relief to the people of Palestine, this is a massive achievement/victory for the government, and could be a significant factor in the UN vote that will take place in September.

[Ulysses G.]

Yes, what a wonderful gesture. Now the shakedown of arabs at the border points, the thefts and inflated prices charged people in the border towns will not be impeded.

Just taking care of their Muslim brothers.

[johna]

Yes, what a wonderful gesture. Now the shakedown of arabs at the border points, the thefts and inflated prices charged people in the border towns will not be impeded. If the Egyptians had 1/2 a brain they'd follow the US-Canada border example and create a retail sector zone intended to serve the Gaza strip residents instead of ripping them off.

The opening of the Rafah border crossing brings an end 4 years of ghetto existence for the people of Gaza, and permits Palestinians to enter Egypt for business or pleasure more freely.

That this will result in "thefts and inflated prices" is a pretty negative view.

[Huey]

Yes, what a wonderful gesture. Now the shakedown of arabs at the border points, the thefts and inflated prices charged people in the border towns will not be impeded.

Just taking care of their Muslim brothers.

Like good orange and green Christians in Ireland have always taken care of their "brothers"

[Ulysses G.]

Good comparison.

Edited May 31, 2011 by Scott
inflammatory remark edited out

[kuffki]

Yes, what a wonderful gesture. Now the shakedown of arabs at the border points, the thefts and inflated prices charged people in the border towns will not be impeded. If the Egyptians had 1/2 a brain they'd follow the US-Canada border example and create a retail sector zone intended to serve the Gaza strip residents instead of ripping them off.

The opening of the Rafah border crossing brings an end 4 years of ghetto existence for the people of Gaza, and permits Palestinians to enter Egypt for business or pleasure more freely.

That this will result in "thefts and inflated prices" is a pretty negative view.

Actually, its not what will result, its how its been all the time.

[Steely Dan]

I think thefts and inflated prices is about the mildest of the possible scenarios which may play out. It's like watching a slow motion car crash watching events unfold in Egypt.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=43807

How hopelessly at odds with America’s best interests is Barack Obama? Less than two weeks ago he declared his support for “political and economic reform in the Middle East,” warmly endorsing the “Arab Spring” uprisings there. Then Sunday, Muslim Brotherhood Sheikh Hazem Abu Ismail announced his candidacy for the presidency of Egypt, promising to transform Egypt into an Islamic state and go to war with Israel. Reform that would indeed be, but not the kind any American president should be applauding

[johna]

I think thefts and inflated prices is about the mildest of the possible scenarios which may play out. It's like watching a slow motion car crash watching events unfold in Egypt.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=43807

How hopelessly at odds with America’s best interests is Barack Obama? Less than two weeks ago he declared his support for “political and economic reform in the Middle East,” warmly endorsing the “Arab Spring” uprisings there. Then Sunday, Muslim Brotherhood Sheikh Hazem Abu Ismail announced his candidacy for the presidency of Egypt, promising to transform Egypt into an Islamic state and go to war with Israel. Reform that would indeed be, but not the kind any American president should be applauding

True enough, but it is a democracy and if that is what the Egyptians want so be it.

I can not see it happening though

[Steely Dan]

I think thefts and inflated prices is about the mildest of the possible scenarios which may play out. It's like watching a slow motion car crash watching events unfold in Egypt.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=43807

How hopelessly at odds with America’s best interests is Barack Obama? Less than two weeks ago he declared his support for “political and economic reform in the Middle East,” warmly endorsing the “Arab Spring” uprisings there. Then Sunday, Muslim Brotherhood Sheikh Hazem Abu Ismail announced his candidacy for the presidency of Egypt, promising to transform Egypt into an Islamic state and go to war with Israel. Reform that would indeed be, but not the kind any American president should be applauding

True enough, but it is a democracy and if that is what the Egyptians want so be it.

I can not see it happening though

I wish I could share your optimism. As for the matter of democracy, the ousting of a despot does not automatically result in anything like democracy, especially when the population are uneducated and indoctrinated with hatred and theological clap trap from an early age. You are much more likely to end up with something even worse, which is exactly what happened in Iran following the overthrow of the Shah.

Edited June 2, 2011 by Steely Dan