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Rafah: Egypt is allowing freer temporary entry for Palestinians into the
country through the Rafah border crossing in an unprecedented move
to ease long-imposed travel restrictions, particularly on Gazans -
however, not everyone agrees the measures will go far enough.
Until now, any Palestinian under 40 was escorted by security
agents to or from the Gaza border to ensure they spent no time on
Egyptian territory. Palestinians saw the practice as a
humiliation, especially since it often meant detention at the
border or airport for up to three days, often in small rooms
alongside criminals, as they waited for an escort.
"Imagine
yourself locked in a small room in the basement of the airport,
not allowed to smoke, eat or go to the bathroom except after
approval from a security official," said Youssef Ramadan, a
36-year old merchant from Gaza who often travels to China through
Egypt. "Humiliation is not the word. It is a nightmare."
He spent 36 hours in such conditions on his way back from China in
May. "It's time to end this and forever. It makes no sense to
travel all over the world then Egypt, an Arab country, treats you
like an animal."
The new measures end the procedure and allow
Palestinians to cross through Egypt on their own arrangements,
allowing them to stay in the country for up to 72 hours to do so.
The measures came into effect early on Monday, and took many
security agencies by surprise because it came before a formal
announcement was made.
Border restrictions at Rafah have caused more than pain and
humiliation, however. Palestinians have died waiting to cross the
border for medical reasons.
In July 2006, four Palestinians died
while awaiting re-entry into Gaza on the Egyptian side of the
border crossing.
The crossing was closed for weeks following the
kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit; two of the victims
caught in the collective punishment were a 19-year-old woman and a
1.5-year-old infant. The young woman, Mona Ismail, was returning
from an operation in a Cairo hospital. She died as a result of a
severe deterioration of her medical condition as she waited to
cross. The infant, Hamze Abu Taleb, died of heat stroke.
Since then, the Rafah border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt has
been closed on a regular basis - except for occasional, limited
openings that meet only a small percentage of the travel needs of
residents of the territory.
Attempts by Gazans to realise their
right to freedom of movement and access to medical treatment,
work, educational opportunities and family have been consistently
thwarted by border security.
The crossing from Gaza to Egypt is a
nightmarish process for most. Security procedures turn what should
be a 30-minute journey into a test of patience and will - even
family members seeking to reunite and those in need of medical
treatment face a long, laborious process.
Egyptian authorities say strict security measures are necessary at
Rafah because the country does not want to allow in any Hamas-related
Gazans. But not all Gazans are Hamas.
According to Maher Abu Sabha,
the director of the border crossing, the number of Gazans on
waiting lists to leave the territory is over 20,000. Even with the
eased restrictions, those on the list will likely have to wait for
months before being allowed to cross.
In addition to that, the eased
restrictions are not stable and the border could be re-closed at
any time. It also does not mean that Palestinians can cross the
border whenever they want; they must give a reason that justifies
their crossing.
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