Rafah deal underlines Cairo’s warming ties with Hamas
By TOVAH LAZAROFF AND KHALED ABU TOAMEH
27/05/2011
Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says opening of border crossing meant to “ease the suffering of Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”

Ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak had a strained relationship with the Hamas government in Gaza, and feared the spread of its influence and activities in his country. As a result he consistently refused to formally open the Rafah crossing on the Sinai-Gaza border – which was shut down after Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 – despite complaints about Gazans’ suffering under the Israeli security blockade.

The new Egyptian government, however, wants to improve relations with Hamas, as evidenced by its brokering of this month’s Fatah-Hamas reconciliation deal.

As of Saturday, therefore, the border crossing will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for Fridays and official holidays, Egypt’s state MENA News Agency announced on Thursday. Palestinian men aged 18 to 40 will need visas to cross. Older men, boys and females of all ages will be able to travel without one.

Both Hamas and Fatah welcomed the decision.

“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 told Al-Jazeera television.

Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Menha Bakhoum said the move was intended to “ease the suffering of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”

Weapons into Gaza.

Gilad Shalit out of Gaza, soon to be seen in Lebanon or Iran. Gilad, Israel has failed you.