Report: Egypt says Gaza border will remain open

[Tom Joad]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/947605.html

Egypt's Foreign Ministry said Thursday the Gaza border would remain open as long as there continues to be a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, CNN reported.

"We are not opening the Rafah crossing just for everybody to cross - we're opening it because it's a very dire humanitarian situation," said ministry spokesman Hassam Zaki.

The government and defense establishment in Israel are fuming at Cairo over Wednesday's breach of the Gaza border.
_______________________

Israel is furious that people will have access to food and essentials? oh well, tough shit.
I'm happy.

btw, many posters here said that Egypt should do more to help the Palestinians. well now they are doing so. i suppose many of us are happy then.

[DCKit]

1. Israel is pretty much paralyzed and frustrated right now.

International condemnation of their recent attacks (and other assaults) on the Palestinians haven't left them a choice other than to allow people to bring food, fuel and other goods in from Egypt. They really put both feet in it this time and the world community is weary of making excuses for their reprehensible behavior.

[0007]

2. Happy to hear the good news about Egypt helping the Palestinians.

[Hardrada]

3. Best news I've heard from that area for awhile!

[ProgressiveMuslim]

4. Woo hoo!

I guess Pelsar was right. So nice to see the Egyptian gov't do the right thing!

[malaise]

5. Thank you Egypt

This is about humanity.

Of course Israel and the US want the border resealed. Fuck them!!

Good link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7206217.stm

[breakaleg]

6. This is great news. The reports I've read detail that people are rushing to buy food and supplies.

Who can find fault with that?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

8. Last night Mubarak said on Al Jazeera that Egypt would

quickly provide needed supplies to the border towns.

[Tom Joad]

12. that probably does not provide all the needs of all of Gaza...

and they need to open the ports and airports and provide a way for Gaza to trade with the West Bank.

they also need an air force in case Israel wants to destroy their power plant again.

[Shaktimaan]

23. So I guess Israel is going to

attack Egypt now and the US will cut off the billions in aid sent there annually, right?

I don't think so, personally, but this is what you steadfastly insisted would happen. So what is it... do you think:

1) Israel supports Hamas blowing a hole in the border wall with Egypt?
2) Or will Israel swoop in and reseal the border, perhaps beginning a war with Egypt to punish them for ignoring their will?
3) Or is it possible that somehow you were completely wrong about Israel controlling the border between Gaza and Egypt?

I am not wallowing in the fact that you were wrong for pleasure. I just think it is important that someone point out that many of the views you religiously hold about the conflict are, in fact, absurdly divorced from the reality of the situation. Only one of these three options can be true, the doublethink you've been engaging in whereby Israel controls the border yet the border is not under Israel's control probably isn't possible following these recent events. But maybe you'll surprise me and find a way.

[Vegasaurus]

24. The answer is quite clear

The Palestinians are victims. They have done nothing wrong. The Arab countries can use the Palestinians as pawns but are not expected to help them, including opening Rafah. Israel should stop complaining about those fake rockets; they are really just a pesky nuisance (I think someone actually did use the word pesky).

And meanwhile, Israel should continue to provide food, fuel, supplies, electricity, etc.

I don't know why this doesn't make sense to people.

time for my little :sarcasm:

[breakaleg]

32. Time will tell. To assume there will be no repurcussions is absurd. nt

[bemildred]

7. Good. nt

[pelsar]

9. but i was told...

but so many here...that egypt was controlled by israel..or by the US...or that rafah was too small to bring in enough supplies....or that there was no road structure...not enough parking.......that the IDF was stationed there, that the IDF would attack egypt...so many many excuses

so what happened?...the Palestenians i guess hadnt heard of all them, and simply decided to do something about their situation...

good for them...listening to outsiders and all those enablers have only cost them....

[Vegasaurus]

10. I hope the border stays completely open

And that Israel is no longer held responsible for the Gazans' welfare.

[Tom Joad]

11. You seem to be siding with Hamas and Egypt, and opposing the policies

of your own government (and my own government, though i have long ago disowned it). I knew there was hope for you.

i appreciate your support for blowing up the Israeli walls around Rafah.

There may be a heavy price to be paid by Egypt for allowing this to happen, but i am glad they did it.

[msmcghee]

13. I have a question.

If Egypt wants to help the Palestinians with food, supplies and electricity, why was it necessary for Hamas to blow up the fence. Rafah crossing has roads and gates. Why didn't Egypt just open the gates?

[pelsar]

15. Egypt ...

really doesnt want to help them.....its pretty dangerous for the Egypt to open the gates given the connection between hamas and the muslim brotherhood.

[msmcghee]

17. That's what I thought.

It was street theater and photo ops to make the Palestinians look desperate, the Israelis look helpless and the Egyptians look innocent - all of which are the opposite of the truth. :thumbsup:

[pelsar]

14. i 'm very glad it happened...

i think it has hope far more than the immediate bringing in of supplies. I see it as the Palestinians, for the first time in their history as a society taking action that is not only non violent (except for the blowing up of the wall) , but that is of their own initiative (well intifada I was also like that).....

they proved to all those who blamed israel for the seige, that they, unlike their "supporters, they can read a map and understand what has to be done to improve their lot....and not wait and beg for someone "to feed them" ...or pressure israel to open the gates.

and most important of all, they decided that what is more important than playing a PR game with israel, they did something that improves their own lives...just a bit for now, but there is hope.

[Tom Joad]

16. I can't believe the fantasy world you seem to live in

that you can't admit that Israel is responsible for imposing a siege on Gaza, that its end was to make Gazans suffer. I mean, that is not some wild conspiracy theory... that is what Israeli leaders are announcing their intention was (if you read Israeli papers), they described the intention of their policies. It was an open and declared policy.

No one ever said that Egypt should not help Palestinians, of course Egypt should ignore Israel and the US, it is their moral duty to snub even the most powerful of States, if those states are insisting on Egypt helping them in a crime against humanity. but their need was the result of Israeli policy designed to punish and make Gazans destitute.

We can all hope that that Israeli policy fails miserably, then there is hope for the people of Gaza, and the hope for peace is rekindled.

[Vegasaurus]

18. Of course Israel is responsible for the siege

brought on by the lack of responsibility on the part of Hamas in taking care of its own citizens.

Were Hamas able to control the rocket fire, there would have been no siege. Instead, Hamas and IJ and the rest have fired hundreds and hundreds of rockets in the past months, terrorizing southern Israel.

Action---->consequence.

Stop firing rockets, and the gates open. Terrorize Israel and we won't supply our enemies with food and fuel.

Seems like the choice should be easy, but it wasn;t.

The siege could still end, but I see more rockets are being fired today. Pretty dumb idea.

[oberliner]

19. What do you think that Israel can/should do to prevent the rocket attacks?

What would you propose as a humane way to bring an end to the Palestian attacks on Sderot, Ashkelon, and elsewhere inside of Israel?

[Tom Joad]

20. END THE OCCUPATION.

Stop the oppression of all the Palestinian people.
But you only seem to care to preserve the status quo while keeping things peaceful and quiet for Israelis. Its not going to happen.

Meanwhile, Israeli terrorists have announced plans to build more settler housing in Jerusalem, making any kind of peace agreement impossible. When will Israel finally rid itself of this criminal regime?

[pelsar]

22. your definition....

of occupation is pre 48.......you've said it enough indirectly....sorry if dont comply to commit national suicide.....

[azurnoir]

25. National Suicide??????

Israels form of national suicide much the same as America's according to WHO stats 9,000 Israelis died from heart disease,diabetes and/or stroke in 2002 alone, compared with 1030 killed since sept of 2000 a number that includes both civilian and IDF and both the Israel proper and the OPT. It should be noted the number is far greater then the number killed by kassams alone since 2005, a number I believe is in the 7-10 range.
So to prevent national suicide perhaps more people should stay to a stricter kosher diet-high cholesterol is difficult to "achieve" and food born illness is also very rare, this could apply in the US too and not just to Jews

http://www.who.int/whosis/mort/profiles/mort_euro_isr_israel.pdf

http://www.btselem.org/english/statistics/Casualties.asp

[Shaktimaan]

28. you have

no idea what pelsar is talking about, do you?

[azurnoir]

29. Can't recognise snark eh? n/t

[pelsar]

21. my fantasy world?....

I'm very aware israel closed of 3/4 of the borders in a direct response to continual attempts to kill israelis...its that simple. I also know that all other efforts that israel tried were all called war crimes...and i also know people who called everything lsrael did a war crime, out of default prefer the kassam terrorizing israelis as opposed to israel doing anything to stop them...(spare me the "outrage"....without a serious suggestion for the israelis of sederot..)

but this was actually funny..
no one ever said that Egypt should not help Palestinians
care to show me some articles about that?...i spent hours scouring the internet looking for exactly that information....

I cant believe you actually wrote that, after all the thousands of words here, explaining to me how the gaza/egyptian border is actually controlled by israel. Egypt helping the Palestinians?...please show me where thats been written......

[azurnoir]

26. This is good news but........

there will almost certainly be accusations that Egypt is not doing enough to stop arms smuggleing hopefully it will not turn into "it's Egypts fault" everytime a Kassam is fired. There are those on this forum already threatening "retaliation" or "cause-effect" if Egypt "allows" arms into Gaza, making me wonder what this really is about, time will tell.

[Disturbed]

27. Israel's RWing Govt. sucks as bad as America's RWing Govt.

RWingers are authoritarian, Warmongering Fascists.

[pelsar]

30. another prediction?.....

so your saying that israel might attack egypt?.......and start a war with egypt?........

ok....i really really have to keep a list of your accusations, predictions and assumptions....you really have no clue of the israeli society.

[azurnoir]

31. Maybe you could reread my post

the accusations here are yours, I asked if and that was in relation to other comments I have seen here, does Israel want to start a war with Egypt we've been there before and the answer is no I do not think so however there are those and perhaps I "misinterpret" that would seem to be revving for that in the future.
on edit: do you deny that even with the border closed Israel was "unhappy" with Egypt over the arms smuggling into Gaza? Are you suggesting this will now improve? Will the answer be "that depends on Egypt"? What if the kassams do not stop? Will Israel hold Egypt responsible? The situation just became a bit more complicated.