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Credible concerns over Rafah crossing reopening
There are credible reasons for Palestinians to be concerned about Israel’s recent announcement.
For months now, we’ve been hearing senior Israeli officials talking about the best solution for Gaza being to ethnically cleanse it of its population. So, selectively choosing to open the crossing and allow a certain number of people to leave Gaza without allowing those to come back in really invokes all those fears and reminds everybody of where the Israeli government’s mindset has been for months.
Remember, only those cleared by Israel will be allowed out of Gaza.
This is despite the fact that these passengers wouldn’t be crossing into Israeli territory, so Israel is maintaining control, quite literally, on who lives and who dies. If we’re talking about patients, for example, more than 16,000 of them need urgent medical evacuation out of Gaza.
Another concern is, how will Palestinians even make it to the Rafah crossing itself? It is under the control of the Israeli forces, and also behind the so-called yellow line.
Also, who would be able to get the permission to leave is another question. Would it mean Palestinians are only allowed to leave and empty the Gaza Strip, and no one is supposed to come back? There is a fear that this is just a tactic to empty the Gaza Strip.
There are also thousands of Palestinians in Egypt, stuck and waiting to reunite with their families.
Hence Egypt is not on board, doesn't want any more refugees.
‘Israeli manoeuvring’ over Rafah border crossing, says former Egyptian diplomat
Under the terms of the ceasefire, the long-closed Rafah crossing is to be opened for medical evacuations and travel to and from Gaza.
Israel says Palestinians will not be able to return to Gaza through the crossing until the last captive remains are returned from Gaza. Egypt, which controls the other side, said the crossing will open only if movement goes both ways.
Hussein Haridy, a former Egyptian assistant foreign minister, said Egypt remains “committed to UN Security Council Resolution 2803, adopted on October 17 last year, which endorsed a ceasefire plan”.
All crossings should be opened under the resolution, and Egypt is working with the European Union and the Palestinian Authority on operating the posts, including Rafah, when conditions allow, he told Al Jazeera from Cairo.
“We need to operate the Rafah crossing according to the [US President Donald] Trump peace plan. Ever since 1948, the date Israel was established, we’ve become accustomed to Israeli manoeuvring when it comes to implementing ceasefire agreements,” said Haridy.
