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Egypt Warns Israel: Don't Interfere With Opening of Gaza Border Crossing
Rafah's opening would be a violation of an agreement reached in 2005 between the U.S., Israel, Egypt, and the EU; Israel official tells the Wall Street Journal developments in Egypt could affect Israel's national security.
Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces General Sami Anan warned Israel against interfering with Egypt's plan to open the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on a permanent basis, saying it was not a matter of Israel's concern, Army Radio reported on Saturday.
Palestinians take part in a protest at the Rafah border crossing between the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, calling for an end to the blockade of the coastal territory and to allow in more medicine, April 27, 2011. (REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa) Egypt announced this week that it intended to permanently open the border crossing with Gaza within the next few days.
The announcement indicates a significant change in the policy on Gaza, which before Egypt's uprising, was operated in conjunction with Israel. The opening of Rafah will allow the flow of people and goods in and out of Gaza without Israeli permission or supervision, which has not been the case up until now.
An Israeli official on Friday told The Wall Street Journal that Israel was troubled by the recent developments in Egypt saying they could affect Israel's national security at a strategic level.
Israel's blockade on Gaza has been a policy used in conjunction with Egyptian police to weaken Hamas, which has ruled over the strip since 2007.
Rafah's opening would be a violation of an agreement reached in 2005 between the United States, Israel, Egypt, and the European Union, which gives EU monitors access to the crossing. The monitors were to reassure Israel that weapons and militants wouldn't get into Gaza after its pullout from the territory in the fall of 2005.
Before Egypt's uprising and ousting of longtime leader Hosni Mubarak, the border between Egypt and Gaza had been sealed. It has occasionally opened the passage for limited periods.
78 Comments so far
Show AllOne concession to an oppressed people terrorized, tortured, raped, pillaged, and humiliated by the unholy alliance of Israel and the US of A. Thanks Egypt! Boycott, Divest, and Sanction Israel until they decide to join the human civilization....the key word here being 'civil'.
This is a very positive development and we can only hope that Egypt will continue to defy American and Israeli policy giving the Palestinians a little more hope.
I find it interesting how a cruel blockade deliberately designed to create malnourishment across a civilian population can be bloodlessly referred to as a "policy" (Haaretz's term)
If Israel had a brain, now is the time to prove it.
Laugh Israel, and be nice to Hamas, so peace can blossom.
King of the Hill is not sustainable and Fear is the God of War!
Shalom
Israel's blockade of Gaza is collective punishment and shame on the US and EU for going along with this genocidal plan. Israel fears democracy in Arab countries because, like the US, it has made sweetheart deals with Arab dictators, like Mubarak, to continue the illegal occupation and oppression of Palestinians. Democratic Arab governments will stand up to Israel's fascist practices--it's about time someone did!
Yep, and all these changes gives me a jolt... seems like Mother Nature is in on the act big time now too.
now is everywhere.... we are the experiment.... Help!
... and I'm lucky to be here.
This is a positive step by Egypt's military and probably a response to public pressure; however, by itself, the move isn't enough to justify Egypt's military to maintain the amount of power it has. The military hasn't included sufficient representation of the protestors in the "transitional" governing, hasn't sufficiently pursued Mubarak and other former corrupt civilian leaders, hasn't pursued punitive action against the former security forces...
Haaretz's unsupported statement that "Rafah's opening would be a violation of an agreement reached in 2005 between the United States, Israel, Egypt, and the European Union" totally overlooks the fact that the PA is a party to that agreement and a party to the crossing opening. If anybody (other than Israel) proves to be in violation, it will be the EU.
Israel, of course, is "troubled" because, instead of having an agreement between itself and four puppets, it finds itself having to deal with two real parties on the other side (in addition to the two or three remaining puppets).
The problem with all this is that the whole world shares collective responsibility for the appalling injustice inflicted on the indigenous Palestinians for the last 63 years, simply because the whole world allowed and continues to allow it to happen
"An Israeli official on Friday told The Wall Street Journal that Israel was troubled by the recent developments in Egypt saying they could affect Israel's national security at a strategic level."
Those are fighting words floated to enable Israel to attack preemptively as Israel always has the "right" to defend itself through such preemptive attacks, which it has excecuted many times during its unfortunate existence.
Yes, that is how I interpret it.
We're talking about Israel here.
They'll probably bomb the shit out of helpless Gazans as punishment
rather than take on Egypt.
The US won't have a problem with murdering more Gazans, either.
We'll pay for all the bombs, too.
Yup. They whine and cry about the holocaust -- but what the nazis did in years, the isrealis are doing in decades. Genocide in slow motion.
Thank you for that comment. What the Nazis did was horrible but what Isreal is doing is just as bad. I wonder what those souls that died in those camps think of this? If ut were me, I would be apalled! Shame on them and all who back it. But it is no different then letting millions starve in other countries while the rest of the insane world bombs people to hell. What the hell is god waiting for? Rapture me now, thanks
By my calculations, either God is too busy greeting his new residents as they arrive at the pearly gates in record numbers, or h/she has yet to evolve...into existence. And just for the record, there is a difference between letting someone starve and causing the starvation. But only in so far as the lives being extinguished have any value at all. As for the holocaust, isn't the Pope a former Nazi who participated in that particular genocide? Perhaps he could call God to action? Or is he at the royal wedding? God save us from your followers.
The other bit is that there seems that limitations on access by Eu monitors is not excluded so they will be able to do their jobs unhindered, just as Gazans will be able to lead a far less hindered life. Thus the Eu nor even Egypt will be in breach of the so-called agreement.
Wow. So all these years as Mubarak went along to get along Egyptians and the military were quietly seething with anger. I really thought these folks were brain dead! It's nice to see some signs of life in them and taking the initiative in showing the rest of the Arab world how to stick together for their own sake. I thought those days were over and done.
OTOH, considering the US has given 3 billion of our tax dollars to Mubarak every year to uphold the "treaty," this could be an attempt at to extort more bucks from us.
Talk about extortion.
Decades of paying 3 billion bucks to protect another nation.
Discusting. Always with their hand out.
Let them pay for their own "security.".
I believe the annual $3bn goes to Israel. The Egyptian military gets only half that. Maybe that's why they're feeling a bit sore right now.
If only what you say is true, but no.
It's tougher than it used to be to discern US foreign aid dollars since the State Department muddies things on purpose.
You're right about the majority of US aid to Egypt going for the military, but depending on the source we give up to 2.2 billion per year to Egypt.
The commonly disclosed amount in aid to Israel is around 3.2 billion per year.
BTW, they get 400 million in economic aid! WTF?
Can't cut economic aid to a wealthy nation like Israel or AIPAC might get upset.
The rest goes for weapons, war, and killing mostly poor unarmed people.
Just like we do.
Then there's all the extras Israel gets that's under the radar.
Like last year, when Congress rushed through 800 million of our
tax dollars to help pay for their Star Wars security fence
or whatever the hell they call it.
I forget if it was Chomsky or Chalmers Johnson who figured that all told,
we give Israel between 7-10 billion dollars annually.
Obama or Congress wouldn't dare think about cutting a penny of aid to Israel.
They prefer millions of US kids going to bed hungry and grandma
freezing to death cause she can't afford the cost of heating oil.
USA! USA! USA!
Right On! This is the best news of the day.
Egypt hasn't held elections yet. The Military Leaders, the ones that were trained here in the US, the ones that were meeting with the Pentagon while the protests were ongoing in Tahrir Square, are running the show in Egypt. Clinton, Cameron, Lieberman and McCain have all visited Egypt's Military Leadership since the "fall of Mubarak's regime." Hell, large factions of the protest movement wouldn't meet with Clinton when she offered to.
So, the CIA-lead Puppet current Military Leadership in Egypt is opening Gaza's borders to Egypt. And Israel considers this a provocative and "security breaching" move against Israel. For those who don't understand how to read between the lines...
Um, Egypt is giving away AT LEAST the Sinai Peninsula AND the Canal to Israel in this move, whilst both pretending to be fighting one another over it, and spending mulla mulla in quantum in military goods/services that they both purchased from the US and the UK (and to be replenished, of course--I mean Egypt and Israel aren't friends, riiiightttt?)
Oh Goodie, goodie--more war, death and destruction.....please!!!
(Hey, silver lining...maybe THIS will save the US and UK (and tandem) stock markets since Bernanke won't QE3, and stock markets LOVE military-rich conflicts. Chaaching!)
The answer for Israel: stop settlement building in the West Bank and make peace with Palestinian neighbors.
Egyptians confiscated Mubarak's billions some of which were paid to him by US neocons to keep the border closed. They could use some of that money to help Palestinians
This is a strategic issue for Israel. It is clear from this thread that all the Dreamers here are looking for justice for the oppressed "palestinians"..you know those that support the targeting of schoolbuses as tools of "resistance". I agree that these "palestinians" deserve a special type of justice.
The current situation in the middle east only serves to confirm the worst fears of the heroic Israeli people..that any treaties signed with the Arabs are only as lasting as the lifespan (political or otherwise) of the signers. Never Again must Jews trust our security to the goodwill of Dreamers...or the current leadership of our neighbors Peace can only be acheived when the peoples of BOTH sides respect the . right of "the other" to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness....Arabs in their 22+ states, and Jews in their sliver of land. Until this happens Israel will need to be vigilant and protect its people at ALL costs. YES ALL COSTS JUST AS THE US,RUSSIA,CHINA,FRANCE,BRITAIN,INDIA yada,yada,...WOULD.You know the type of protection the Dreamers sipping lattes on this thread enjoy.
The need for the Sinai as a strategic buffer needs to be considered carefully....if we are back to square one...so be it.
This also means that just like the Arabs , the Israelis need to take back the storyline from the fundamentalists in their midst. Radical religeous on BOTH sides must be marginalized in order for the peoples to co-exist.
"Until this happens Israel will need to be vigilant and protect its people at ALL costs."
If they keep "protecting" their peope (the "chosen ones") at "ALL costs" there will certainly come a time when no amount of protection will save them from doom.
I dont recognize the right of israel to exist, all zionists living in Palestine are thiefs and invaders, israel must be dissolved, the two state "solution" is not a possibility. One state renamed as PALESTINE is the only valid option. The "israelis" have forced their will trough sheer violence, they are much bigger terrorists/cowards than the extreme radicals freedom fighters of Palestine.
Palestine WILL be free!
At LEAST y'all don't try and pretend to be bringing "democracy" to the Palestinians while you crush the sh*t out of them, like the US does to Libyans, Iraqis, Afghanis, Yemenis, Hondurans, Columbians, Nicaraguans, El Salvadorians, Chileans, Puerto Ricans, South Africans, Liberians, Nigerians, Egyptians, Vietnamese, Laotians, Koreans, Japanese, Malaysians, Indonesians, Indians, Native Americans, (I'm too tired to write the whole f*cking world list right now--I must be dreaming too much.)
It is funner, and simpler, isn't it, just to hate people while one eviscerates them instead of using all that "democracy" schtick while doing it?
The dynamics in middle is changing so fast that Israel finds itself in a situation they did not foresee. Israel has squandered all the opportunities for making peace including a very generous offer the PA, under Abbas, acquiesced to that involved giving away the family farm as in a huge chunk of west bank, no return of refugees and east Jerusalem - pretty much 1/2 of Palestinian state as constituted from 67 borders. But no, to Israel, that was not enough if you can grab the whole loaf of bread. Regardless of the fact that you snatched the bread from your neighbor to begin with. Israel claims that it does not have peace party because of divided Palestine but is against peace between Hamas and PA.
My point about taking back the storyline from fundamentalists was to address the influence of the religeous right in Israel which is as damaging as hamas.
Is this "do everything Israel can" suggesting the Samson Option that we read about?
Spend some energy getting the religious right in Israel to make friends with Hamas... both fundamentalists too.
About ten of the richest Jewish families there control Israel's economy.
The richest families of the world control the global economy too...
The Queen, the CIA connected military establishments, banks and universities, think tanks and Oil companies wanting a bigger slice of the war booty... doesn't Israel realize it is better to make a good living with Hamas than the Samson Option because the nuclear blow-back of that is gonna be heavier than the temple Samson pushed over. Super Suicide is not a civil, moral option for the sane.
It is creepy and Israel is gonna have to join the laws of nations or find another Planet.
Jus sayin, keep tryin
Shalom
The Heroic White Phospherous on UN schools during the Gaza Halocaust.
The Heroic Stern Gang and Irgun founding terrorists.
isreal is a violation to Humanity
"...you know those that support the targeting of schoolbuses..."
As indeed does the righteous US target wedding parties. Your point being.....?
Israel needs to respect boundaries set in 1967.
Finally - an Arab state capable of standing up to Israeli bullying.....
Tme to revisit the causes of all this distress. The Europeans in the aftermath of WW1 created this labrinyth of "states" and pseudo-sovereign entities. Palestine includes current day Jordan, Israel and the PA Territories. If we started with that, and gave the Arabs of Palestine what is now Jordan and some of the Gallilee, that would be a pretty good deal for all sides. Just because Husseins grandfather made a deal with the Brits in 1921 we are all in this. Also, should not the Kurds have a state?>>why not re-draw all the maps reflecting current demographic realites rather than perpetuating the myths of unity within these states of deadly enemies within. Sunni states for Sunnis, Shia for Shia, Jewish for Jews, Christian for Christian, Kurdish for Kurds....maybe I'm a dreamer afterall!!
Yes TTH, you are a dreamer. As long as we're dreaming, why not make the map refelct real demographics that we are all human and co-exist amongst one another? The most ludicrous of all dreams, expecting 5 whacked out religious sects to give up some of their money and influence by allowing their congregations to intermingle and compare stories and rituals until they are all discovered to be false but similiar control, manipulation and oppression by the wealthy. What would Jesus do? The Pope is a Nazi and a Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the world record holder in simultaneous wars. What's next? Leaders telling the truth? Why do we need seperation of church and state anyway huh?
Not clear on your point other than you are against organized religion...One world,one state, John and Yoko..is that your point, as long as we're dreaming I guess you are right..point taken!
The arrival of the Israel apologist on the scene opens the door to a wider discussion. Obviously, noone but a nazi-minded racist could take seriously his suggestion of sealing off the various ethnicities in their racially pure enclaves. I mean, who thinks like that any more? One can only believe that he's using the idea rhetorically. Otherwise you'd have such monstrosities as "a Jewish state".
But he does suggest a starting point for a solution:
"Tme to revisit the causes of all this distress. The Europeans in the aftermath of WW1 created this labrinyth of "states" and pseudo-sovereign entities. Palestine includes current day Jordan, Israel and the PA Territories."
That's it! Go back to 1947 (or, perhaps, 1919) as a baseline, send all who arrived there since that time and their descendants back where they came from (think how delighted the Russians and the Americans will be to gather their strayed children back to their bosoms), and let the inhabitants of the mandate as of that time and their descendants (all of their descendants) work out the living arrangements among themselves.
There may be some squabbling about who gets the nukes and who gets the white-phosphorus and who gets the cluster-bombs and who gets the water, and details like that, but surely they can handle it like grownups.
A breath of fresh air from the Israeli side.
So the Egyptian uprising bears some good fruit! The blockade was evil and is so typical of the Zionists! I give Israel less than 20 years to be destroyed by its own internal contradictions. Especially that demographic time bomb I hear ticking in the background! Israel will be majority Palestinians by when?...
Indiaboy,
Yes, I too hear the bell toll!!!!
Nice Job MF, but no..nobody is suggesting to go back in time to reverse history and your response shallow as it is, and others on this thread reflect why Israelis must remain vigilant. But the sheer ridiculousness that you pointed out, about reversing time, surely makes the Arab claims to go back to their homes in Israel sound ridiculous..doesn't it??
Recognizing realities seems to be in short supply. It makes sense that a discussion of the lines drawn in 1921 mixing and matching tribes and ethnicities who have exhibited no desire to coexist,guaranteeing perpetual conflict WITHIN THE ARAB STATES is off the table for discussion. Its just too damn hard. Llet em all kill each other...We know that these boundries were deals between European and local powers to ensure continued domination by colonialist powers,.It sure would be nice nice "if they could all just get along"..wouldnt it...yeah..to face reality makes one a nazi racist...right MF??
Perhaps we should not care about the Kurds , or other ethnic Arabs discriminated against in their ancesteral homes because of these vintage 1921 lines, It may sound racist or otherwise politically incorrect...but what do you think the people on the ground think.their about Shia/Sunni co-existence, or Christian,Kurd,Alawite, or otherminorities in their midst.We are not hallucinating when we see the relative difficulty theyt have in getting along without authoritarian threats...their actions and internecine bloodletting says enougth to me...Do the Shia in Baharain enjoy living under the yoke of the Sunni>>>there are dozens of examples..just sayin.
But of course there is always that Jewish problem we can all focus our hatin'on.
Today, for the first time in a generation, the local populations are rising up..I just pray that they will all be able to get it together without sectarian bloodshedI. Unfortunately, I see no examples of this ever having been accomplished in this part of the world. Understanding where the problem started may help forge a solution. I truly hope that they can forge ahead without the spectre of Lebanon,Iraq,Libya....all of Africa...but hey I dont want to sound like a racist>>im sure they'll all just "get along"..right MF?
One reality that should be talked about is the role that the original creation of the Hashemite kingdom by Britain continues to play today.
I appreciate the role King Hussein has played in the region however his fathers abdication of reponsibility for the West Bank in the 80,s was a disiaster for the region, the Arabs of Palestine, and the cause of Peace.Any potential solution which would offer the Arabs of Palestine any type of viable state AND secure Israels rights begins with a recognition of the fact that Jordan should be incorporated somehow. Why not a federation of the three players (Arabs,Jews, and Royals).
Its clear that in reality, the real "problem" is that the Israelis want to live too.
Therefore...at ALL COSTS...Israelis must remain vigilant
Cpl more things....yes, unless it makes sense on the ground with existing communities, re-aligning the states borders is non-workable..no call for ethinc cleansing here but a re-do of the political framework...almost akin to Pan-Arab Nasserism with adjustments might be a start (look at US, EU...see USSR without the authoritarianism).
No apologies for Israel here..absolutely none needed...no other civilized nation would have absorbed the violent attacks she has without responding to ensure it stops for good....
"As for the Israelis..off the Planet Now"
The views and thought processes here on this Dreamer thread serve to confirm the very nature of this conflict. The hating deserves only one response.
Abdullah"s dad, Hussein did the abdicating in the 80"s.
Farmer u r right...timing is everything..my bad...dont they share a last name?
Nice...farmer..check on your orchards...
"Egypt, tear down this wall!".
If this actually happens, it'll be a good thing, obviously, except for Mr. AIPAC above. But I'm glad a couple of posters were keeping one eye on the Egyptian regime as well. I see this development as a mixed sign: this is a bone from the Egyptian military that apprently has to be tossed because they're not planning on leaving power anytime soon. This move will get them some street cred, but it will come at the cost of the uprising. After all, since when does a short term transition regime make a major foreign policy move like this if they're just holding down the fort for the real government to get elected?
I'd keep the cheering cautious for now, if I were you.
"After all, since when does a short term transition regime make a major foreign policy move like this if they're just holding down the fort for the real government to get elected?"
I can think of one: Libya and they don't even control the country at this time.
I think you're wrong about Egypt. But we'll have to wait and see what actually transpires. Israel may decide to bomb them 10 years back in development, like they did Lebanon, before they ever have the chance to hold elections.
So Dreamers....there are dozens of ethnic based violent conflicts raging today, or recently quieted with thousands killed and injured: Lebanon, Iraq, Russia,Sudan,Bosnia,Baharain, China, India, Pakistan, Afghanastan, and the list goes on and on. What is the common denominator to all of them (really, use your heads,not your hearts)
I know I shouldn't feed teh bears and all, but what the hell are you talking about? If the list goes "on and on", it's going to be kind of hard to find a single commonality between all of them, dontcha think? (rhetorical, no need to answer).
Further, your own list can't be considered conflicts arising from the same source. Frankly, the biggest common denominator is that they are all areas that were subjected to imperial cartography.