Egypt pledges to open Rafah crossing before Ramadan; Israel reopens
crossings
Date: 28 / 08 / 2008 Time: 10:27
www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=31570

Bethlehem - Ma'an - Egypt will open the Rafah crossing with the Gaza Strip
on Saturday and Sunday to in order to end the seven-month plight of 200
Egyptians stranded in the Strip.

Palestinian officials in Gaza confirmed that the crossing will also be open
to a small number of Palestinians, especially those stranded on the Egyptian
side and those in need medical care. The Egyptian gesture coincides with the
beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Two hundred Egyptian citizens, mostly women and children have been trapped
in Gaza since January after they crossed into the Strip after Palestinians
forced their way through the border in an act of popular disobedience. Egypt
resealed the border in February, stranding its own citizens.

The Interior Ministry of the de facto government in Gaza will clarify later
this week exactly who will be allowed to cross.

Earlier, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu Al-Gheit warned Gazans against
storming Rafah border as they did last January: "Who threatens Rafah and
tries to storm the crossing with no approval of his country will face an
unexpected response."

Meanwhile Israel reopened its commercial and humanitarian crossings with the
Gaza Strip on Thursday after two days of closure.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered the reopening. Barak shut down
the crossing on Monday night after a homemade projectile reportedly fired
from Gaza landed on the Israeli side of the border.

***Updated at 11:40am local time