Egypt 'to open Rafah border permanently'

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

Egypt will permanently open its Rafah border crossing starting from Saturday, the country's official news agency reported, easing a four-year blockade on the Gaza Strip.

The news agency MENA said on Wednesday that Egypt's new military rulers set the date for the opening of the crossing as part of efforts "to end the status of the Palestinian division and achieve national reconciliation".

It said the Rafah border crossing would be opened permanently starting on Saturday from 9am to 9pm every day except Fridays and holidays.

"Sources in national security told Al Jazeera that the military intended to open up the border," our correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin, reporting from the capital, Cairo, said.



Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/05/2011525174117897741.html

PB

Unlike the Indians and Pakistanis.

Unlike the Turks and Kurds.

Unlike the Iraqis and Kurds.

Unlike the Egyptian Moslems and Coptic Christians.

Unlike the Egyptians and Bedouins.

Unlike the Serbs and Albanians.

Unlike the Serbs and Croatians.

Unlike the Irish Protestants and Irish Catholics.

Unlike the Basques and Spanish.

Unlike the Sri Lankans and the Tamils.

Unlike the Turks and Armenians.

Unlike the Russians and Chechens.

Yes. Only Arabs and Jews have a problem.

PB

Really. What's your point?

Wonder why they don't want to celebrate holidays with them?

It's wayyyyyyyyyy past time!

Source: Star Tribune


CAIRO - Egypt will permanently open its border crossing with the Gaza Strip this weekend, the government announced on Wednesday, suggesting that military leaders are being swayed by growing sentiment in favor of distancing the country from Israel.

Opening the Rafah crossing, the only official entry point outside Israel into the Palestinian territory, would ease the blockade imposed after the militant group Hamas took control of the Strip in 2007.

A report by Egypt's state-run Middle East News Agency said the move was being adopted to "end the status of the Palestinian division and achieve national reconciliation."

Israel warned that fully reopening the crossing could allow Hamas to build up its arsenal and create a dangerous situation.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/world/122628369.html

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The Israelis may be right. Or wrong. It's possible.

and I think more people are waking up re Israeli policy --

In fact one of their own Ambassadors resigned saying that he could no longer

support Israel policy towards Palestine -- and that it was making a "pariah"

of Israel -- isolating it from the international community.

I agree!

Americans are kept unaware or are RW crazies supporting Israel at all costs (for their own eschatological religious premises).

More importantly, if the Egyptian and Gazan people want it to be open, it should be. That's preferable to leaving such decisions to dictators as has been the case in the past.