The Rafah Agreement Cipora described expired almost 2 years ago. There have been unsuccessful talks on renewing it.
The original agreement actually required agreement of the PA, Egypt, Israel and the EU for the crossing to be open on any particular day. The US lurking in the shadows could also close the crossing at any time by using its economic muscle with the PA, Israel or Egypt. The agreement also provided for a passage between Gaza and the West Bank. That never happened.
In implementing the Agreement, Israel required that the EU people reside in and travel through Israel to get to Rafah.
It was a brilliant piece of diplomatic legerdemain. but was a fraud committed against the people in Israel and Gaza. It allowed the US and Israeli governments to say Gaza was free and Gazans had freedom to travel and export. But by election time (3 months after the Agreement was signed) the people in Gaza realized they had been duped. Israel had complete control and still has control. |
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