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‘Egypt to open Rafah border crossing by weekend’
CAIRO, Egypt (JPost) – Decision to open Gaza crossing “part of efforts to end status of the Palestinian division,” Egyptian news agency reports. The Egyptian military announced today that it will open the Rafah crossing with the Gaza Strip this weekend, Egypt’s official Middle East News Agency (MENA) said.
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MENA explained that the Rafah border crossing would be opened permanently starting Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every day except Fridays and holidays.
The decision to open the Rafah crossing was part of efforts “to end the status of the Palestinian division and achieve national reconciliation.”
This is not the first time that an announcement about the opening of the crossing has been made. Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Elaraby told Al-Jazeera during aninterview in April that the crossing would be opened. He said during the interview at the time that steps would be taken in order to alleviate the “suffering of the Palestinian people.”
Earlier President Mubarak formulated policy to build retaining wall along Gaza border.
Foreign Affairs Council conclusions on Middle East Peace Process [pdf]
“The EU is deeply concerned about the continuing stalemate in the Peace Process and calls for the urgent resumption of direct negotiations leading to a comprehensive solution on all tracks. Our goal remains a just and lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the State of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security and mutual recognition. A way must be found through negotiations to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of two States. Recalling the Berlin Declaration, the EU reiterates its readiness to recognize a Palestinian State when appropriate.”
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
