IOF continue to control Palestinian Suffering at Rafah International Crossing Point

Date: 11 September 2005

Time: 10:30 GMT

Throughout the world, traveling is seen as a matter of enjoyment, luxury and entertainment, but in the Gaza Strip traveling is a source of humiliation, frustration and oppression.  While signs of comfort appear on faces of travelers at border crossing points throughout the world, signs of fatigue and exhaustion appear on the faces of Palestinians traveling through Rafah International Crossing Point between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. 

On this spot of Palestine, it is normal to see hundreds of Palestinian travelers waiting to be allowed to cross - it is even more normal to see women, old people, young men and children all equally waiting having the same expressions of gloominess, frustration, impatience and fatigue because of long periods of waiting. 

Rafah International Crossing Point is the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world. 

Repeated closures of the crossing point, Israeli measures aimed at obstructing the operation of the crossing point in the context of collective punishment measures against Palestinian civilians have contributed, to exhibit the crossing point as a place of procrastination, slow procedures and unjustified closures, which all force Palestinian civilians to wait for long hours, and even days, to be able to travel to and from the Gaza Strip. 

Measures adopted by Israeli occupation authorities at Rafah International Crossing Point have not excluded any travelers, including patients who are forced to travel due to the lack of appropriate medical treatment in the Gaza Strip.  These patients have to face the same difficulties faced by other civilians when traveling through the crossing point. 

Thus, traveling through the crossing point has become a severe experience that no one, except those who are forced to travel or those who have no other options, such as students at foreign universities, traders and patients, would wish to live its details. 

Abu Ahmed, 60, had to travel to Egypt to meet his brother who lives in Poland and whom he has not seen for 38 years.  Abu Ahmed chose to deprive himself of meeting his brother due to the severe conditions at Rafah International Crossing point, hoping that things may soon change.  "I phoned my brother and told him that I would not be able to travel… I cannot endure the burden of travel through Rafah International Crossing Point… traveling in our country is a source of humiliation, oppression and frustration… I hope things will change so that I will be able to meet my brother, who has not been able to enter Gaza as Israel has stopped issuing visit permits to Palestinians living abroad" Abu Ahmed said.

So far the hopes of Abu Ahmed and hundreds of Palestinian civilians who looked forward to the evacuation of the Gaza Strip seem far fetched. The Palestinian and Israeli sides have not reached a deal concerning Rafah International Crossing Point as Israel insists on maintaining control over the movement of Palestinians to and from the Gaza Strip, while Palestinians have insisted to have freedom of movement without any Israeli intervention.  Israel has gone further and declaring its intention to move the crossing point to "Kerem Shalom" area inside the Green Line, and has effectively started to remove move the equipment from Rafah International Crossing Point, a step which is totally rejected by Palestinians. 

Israel has unilaterally closed Rafah International Crossing Point since 7 September 2005, and according to credible sources, this closure will continued for 6 months, during which Palestinians will be allowed to travel through a new crossing point that will be established soon in "Kerem Shalom" area inside the Green Line, which is the meeting point of the borders of the Gaza Strip, Egypt and the Negev.  The fate of Palestinians civilians who want and need to travel has not been announced. 

Lama al-Shurafa, 27, a Palestinian women living in Egypt, came to Gaza to join the wedding party of her young brother.  She has not been so far able to travel back to Egypt due to the closure of Rafah International Crossing Point.  "I came to Gaza accompanied by my three daughters to join the wedding party of my young brother, and I have been waiting for the crossing point to be reopened to be allowed to travel so that my daughters can attend their schools," al-Shurafa said.  "The school year will begin on 15 September 2005 and we need to prepare for it, and we do not know if my daughters will be able to join their schools or they will loose this year just because Israel insists to maintain its control over the movement of Palestinians" she added. 

Many people have not been able to travel outside the Gaza Strip.  Many of others have been blocked at the Egyptian side of the crossing point, waiting to be allowed to travel back to the Gaza Strip, and the Egyptian authorities have given them the opportunity to travel to Egyptian towns as the waiting hall at the Egyptian side lack basic sanitation, sleeping and eating facilities. 

Palestinians have expressed their dismay at the closure of the crossing point, considering it another unilateral Israeli step which excludes their needs and rights.  Palestinians have doubts regarding the real Israeli intentions in respect of the transfer of the crossing point to "Kerem Shalom" area inside the Green Line, especially as Israel does not allow any Palestinian from the Gaza Strip to enter the Green Line without permission.  Since the beginning of the current Intifada, obtaining such permission has become almost impossible.  Who knows, Palestinians wishing to travel abroad may have to obtain permits to enter the Green Line to reach the alternative crossing point in "Kerem Shalom", which will allow Israel to totally control the movement of Palestinian civilians from and to the Gaza Strip.  If this happens, and it is expected to happen in light of the current circumstances, things will be more complicated - Palestinians will have to face the difficulties of obtaining permits to enter the Green Line in addition to the difficulties of travel. 

Matters related to the freedom of movement of Palestinian civilians, especially those related to travel to and from the Gaza Strip, are still unclear.  However, there are indicators that the freedom of movement will not improve.  All of this happens while Israel claims that it is cutting off from the Gaza Strip - denying its legal responsibility for it and insisting on maintaining control over the movement to and from it.

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