Saturday, May 28, 2011

Permanently Egypt reopens its border with Gaza

Just after nine o'clock Egypt opened its border with Gaza indefinitely, thus breaking the siege from 2007 maintains the freedom of a million and half people subject to the whims of the Government of Israel. There was great excitement in Rafah at that hour. Most of the informants had been withheld from seven o'clock in the pre-border controls, with arguments for all tastes.

The old ways are forgotten later, Hosni Mubarak and Arafat fell from its pedestal just 100 days. Neither on the frontier, there was a great influx in the early hours. However, the trickle has grown up to become a steady stream, mostly out of the Strip. Although input. At this time more than 300 people have already crossed the Egyptian Palestinian side.

The normal average daily is 500 and people often arrive in the afternoon, the leaders of the venture since it costs them figures. Trunk, waiters and small shopkeeper goodies position in no man's land, feed the waiting for the stamp in your passport, all made on Aug. today. And rejoice, not only for business but for the faces that come and go and smile and wait a little quieter than yesterday.

"Four years ago I have not seen my grandchildren," said Asmaa, an elderly woman with a face full of tattoos traditional protectors. "At last I can kiss," she exclaims to the window, while waiting for the return of your passport stamped. The interim government of Egypt, under de facto control of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, had already announced last week its intention to permanently open the Rafah crossing, the only Gaza Strip is not under Israeli control.

Finally, a few days ago marked the Egyptian State on Saturday May 28 as the beginning of a new policy in the post Mubarak. A policy that provides support for the agreement signed between the Palestinian factions and has been well received by the international community, not in Israel. While yesterday, prominent leaders of Hamas recognize this first step of the Egyptians as a positive sign toward the Palestinian cause, Israel interpreted in terms of safety.

And alluding to the danger posed to reopen the post. However, in the security control of Rafah, the Egyptians did not show signs of concern. "It is impossible to move drugs or weapons. It registers around the world and made to pass through metal detectors," said an official. In the arches, full of lumps, men and women come over and jump up to four times by alarms, seat belts are removed, look in the folds of the hijab ...

Then, by manual and step back through the arc. United States has also shown its confidence that the Egyptians can properly control the border. Until now, only students, patients were to receive treatment or who have a foreign passport could cross the border was open five days a week, but not permanently.

Although the border will not open for trade, will mean an improvement to the economy of Gaza. But above all, relieve the sense of isolation that their population has since 2007. "You can have a million and a half of people incarcerated," says Ahmed. He is one of the lucky ones who has been regularly crossing ("two or three times a year"), the Egyptian border for medical reasons.

Not all have been so fortunate. Many new arrivals on

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