So it's official now -
the Gaza "blockade" is over.
No more need for the flotillas
full of club-wielding humanitarians
and outdated medical supplies.
Of course, this also means there will be a
virtually free flow of terrorists and weapons into Gaza.Rafah - After_a_four_year_blockade, Egypt on Saturday permanently opened the Gaza Strip's main gateway to the outside world, bringing long-awaited relief to the territory's Palestinian population and a significant achievement for the area's ruling Hamas militant group.
,,,Palestinians Building Invasion Tunnel To Israel?,,,
The reopening of the Rafah border crossing eases an Egyptian blockade of Gaza that has prevented the vast majority of the densely populated area's 1.5 million people from being able to travel abroad. The closure, along with an Israeli blockade of its borders with Gaza, has fueled an economic crisis in the territory.
But Saturday's move also raises Israeli fears that militants will be able to move freely in and out of Gaza.
Highlighting those fears, the Israeli army said militants from inside Gaza fired a mortar shell into southern Israel overnight. There were no injuries, and Israel did not respond.
Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade after Hamas seized control of Gaza in June 2007. The closure, which also included tight Israeli restrictions at its cargo crossings with Gaza and a naval blockade, was meant to weaken Hamas, an Islamic militant group that opposes peace with Israel.
But since the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in February, Egypt's new leadership has vowed to ease the blockade and improve relations with the Palestinians.
More.. AP via eye-on-the-world.blogspot.com and game via play.vg