A blockade is only as strong as its weakest link. Egypt declared the blockade of Gaza a failure and opened the Rafah crossing indefinitely.
Now, ordinary Gazans have a link to the outside world. But don't think political humanitarian aid flotillas sponsored by the likes of Iran or Hezbollah will necessarily bypass Israel. AP writes:
Egypt will not allow in large cargo shipments or construction material because the terminal is designed primarily as a crossing for travelers, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
So what does this mean? Off the top of my head:
- Gaza's open to grandstanding politicians and activists willing to travel overland via Egypt. Grip-and-grin solidarity photos with Hamas are valuable in Turkey's domestic political arena. And those images will be bad news for Mahmoud Abbas and the peace process.
- The smuggling industry and the income Hamas makes off of tunnel license fees will take a hit now that Palestinians are shopping on the Egyptian side of the border.
- Oh yeah, it's a lot harder for people to argue that Israel continues to occupy Gaza by virtue of its control over the borders.
