By Ted Belman
Egypt’s Foreign Minister said yesterday that preparations were underway to open the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on a permanent basis.
He told al Jazeera that within seven to 10 days, steps will be taken in order to alleviate the “blockade and suffering of the Palestinian nation.”
Haaretz reports
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“Rafah’s opening would be a violation of an agreement reached in 2005 between the United States, Israel, Egypt, and the European Union, which gives EU monitors access to the crossing. The monitors were to reassure Israel that weapons and militants wouldn’t get into Gaza after its pullout from the territory in the fall of 2005. “
Similarly, Res 1701 was to prevent Hezbollah from rearming or moving south of the Litani River. It provided inter alia,
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“Decides further that all States shall take the necessary measures to prevent, by their nationals or from their territories or using their flag vessels or aircraft:
(a) The sale or supply to any entity or individual in Lebanon of arms and related materiel of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare parts for the aforementioned, whether or not originating in their territories; “
In 1957 The US pledged to Israel that the Straits of Tiran would be kept open to Israeli traffic as part of a deal to get Israel to withdraw from the Sinai. In 1967 Nasser closed the straits and the US did nothing except try to hold Israel back from an attack on Egypt.
Such resolutions and agreements serve a temporary purpose of getting Israel to back off but are forgotten shortly thereafter.
As Golda Meir said, “By the time you honour your guarantee, we will be dead.”
I hope and trust, Israel has learned its lesson. Never trust an international guarantee.
OT: Bin Laden officially dead. Seriously. Turn on the news.
In God’s good time — not yours.
Meanwhile, prepare.
Yes, but…..
First time is tragedy.
Second is farce.
Good!! It can’t happen too soon.
The West will capitulate and leave Israel to fight for herself. History repeats itself.
The Englishes renegaded on their “Balfour declaration” before the ink used to sign the document was dry.
G.O.I. answer should be: “We won’t interfere.
But you will lose the Sinai.”
Your choice.
Egypt FM: Gaza border crossing to be permanently opened
Egyptian FM tells Al-Jazeera that preparations are already underway to permanently open Rafah border crossing, which would allow goods and people in and out of Gaza with no Israeli supervision.
Egypt warns Israel: Don’t interfere with opening of Gaza border crossing
Rafah’s opening would be a violation of an agreement reached in 2005 between the U.S., Israel, Egypt, and the EU; Israel official tells the Wall Street Journal developments in Egypt could affect Israel’s national security.
Why is it that the israeli government never mentions these betrayals when the issue of international guarantees is raised as a solution. EG th latest lebanon war: it was well known to all israelis that these guarantees never work and yet nothing is said. The Israeli govt has been in a conspiracy of silence with its “allies” and its enemies for decades. Afterwards, when it fails there is no “see I told you so” and nexttme dont bringit up as a solution. Is there no one in leadership who can tell it like it is and then lead it accordingly? Israel is treated as stupid because it acts stupidly, there is a sucker born every minute.
Dweller said (quoting Beneš),
I agree.
“We have been basely betrayed.”
-Edvard Beneš, 21 Sept 1938, Munich