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Kinks in the new Egyptian policy of much more liberalization toward Palestinians seeking to cross from Gaza into Egypt led to considerable melodrama this past weekend, as first Egyptian authorities and then Hamas officials, in a counter chess-move, both alternately shut down the crossing, with Palestinians vigorously protesting all the while. Now, however, the crossing is again open to Palestinians and with even less restrictions than Egypt implemented last week. Good news for free travel and free association for Palestinians! Vocal protest and demonstrations as well as pointed discussions between Hamas and authorities of post-Mubarak Egypt paid off.
Excerpted from Haaretz:
The Gaza Strip's border crossing with Egypt reopened on Wednesday after a four-day closure caused by a dispute between Cairo and Gaza's Hamas rulers over travel arrangements, officials said.Witnesses said a bus carrying 60 Palestinians crossed into Egypt from Gaza at the Rafah border point, Gaza's only opening to the outside world. Palestinians waiting to make the same journey cheered when they heard the news.
"It was good news the crossing reopened and I hope things get easier and every passenger will get to his end destination," said Jamal Al-Dahshan, 48, who had been waiting to enter Egypt since Saturday. (FOR THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE)
This is how the crisis unfolded over the weekend before the newly implemented resolution of June 8, 2011, from Democracy Now:
