A step in the right direction

The reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt is an achievement for the Palestinians, but no less so for Israel.

From the Palestinians' point of view, it was "the fulfillment of one small dream on the road to the establishment of a Palestinian state," as Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said at the festive opening ceremony last Friday. Even Hamas leaders, who at first argued that the opening of the crossing was humiliating for the Palestinian people, finally saw fit to attend the ceremony and share in the celebrations.

On the Israeli side, the defense establishment initially voiced several objections and concerns, but eventually even Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz welcomed the agreement that paved the way to the reopening of the border as a confidence-building measure between Israel and the PA and as an important Egyptian contribution to security arrangements.

The reopening of the crossing sets several important precedents. For the first time in decades, since 1967, to be precise, there is an international border between the territories and a neighboring country that is not under direct Israeli supervision. In other words, Israel waived exclusive control of the border area that it enjoyed for years.

The Palestinians claim that they also made concessions, since the Rafah crossing is only open to those whose names appear in the population register of the territories, which is supervised by Israel. In addition, Israel has installed electronic surveillance equipment at the crossing, allowing it to see at any given time who is using the crossing.

Another important precedent is the involvement of a third party - border police from the European Union - whose job it is to ensure that the agreement is fully implemented.

Control of border crossings is seen as an important part of a nation's sovereignty and independence. The side that holds the keys to the building is the de facto landlord. In this respect, the Palestinians have gained control of the border crossing - albeit not total control.

Beyond considerations of who recorded achievements and who made concessions, the reopening of the crossing should be seen as a direct result of the disengagement. By its very definition, the disengagement was designed to create a buffer between Israel and the Palestinian territories. As long as residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip are legally prevented from leaving Israel via Ben-Gurion International Airport, they must be afforded the opportunity to leave via Egypt, Jordan or an airport of their own. If not, Gaza will become a giant prison. All of this was clear and evident when the disengagement plan was being discussed and implemented. In other words, reopening the Rafah crossing, and the manner it was reopened, was unavoidable.

The agreement and the understanding over the Rafah crossing have a natural continuation, which is also dictated by circumstances - a link between Gaza and the West Bank, which should be opened in the coming weeks, and, in the future, the opening of an international airport in Gaza and the completion of the seaport there. The entire agreement is valid for one year and, if properly implemented, the PA will assume further responsibilities for operating border crossings, as one step on the road to assuming all the roles of a sovereign nation, and in accordance with its agreements with Israel.

Under these circumstances, the reopening of the Rafah border crossing is a tangible and important development that should be welcomed.