Egypt reopens its border with Gaza for an "indefinite" period
A man walks past Palestinian guards at the Rafah crossing, separating the Gaza Strip and Egypt, February 9, 2021. AFP - SAID KHATIB
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Authorities in Cairo reopened the border with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, February 9, for an "indefinite" period, a first for several years.
As the various Palestinian factions gather in Cairo for talks, many wonder if this might not be a mere announcement effect.
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With our correspondent in Jerusalem,
Sami Boukhelifa
The opening for an "
indefinite
" period of the Rafah crossing point is certainly a breath of fresh air for the two million Gazans living under blockade since 2006.
There is nothing exceptional about the decision, however: in the past and on several occasions, Cairo
has taken similar measures,
before again denying access
to its territory a
few days
or weeks later.
For Palestinians in Gaza, Rafah is the only gateway to the world that is not controlled
by Israel
.
So Egypt rains and shines at this border.
But Cairo does not wish to pass for the other power which imposes a blockade on Gaza, alongside the Hebrew state.
Depending on the context and to show that they are helping the Palestinians, the Egyptian authorities then release ballast from time to time, and accept the entry of Gazans into their country.
The announcement comes as Palestinian politicians, including rivals Hamas and Fatah,
meet in Cairo
.
The aim of these reconciliation talks is to prepare for
the next Palestinian elections scheduled for May and July 2021
.
►
Read also: Palestinian elections: in Egypt, Hamas and Fatah start discussions
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Palestinian territories
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