Rafah is the only border crossing with the Gaza Strip that is not under Israeli control. Egypt is still struggling to open the border to Palestinians – for several reasons.
The position of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al Sisi is clear: “We are very interested in helping to reach the Gaza Strip in this difficult time. But there is a very great danger for the Gaza Strip. It is important that the Palestinian people stand on their land remains steadfast. We will make every effort to relieve it.” Egypt feels obliged to ensure the provision of “medical and humanitarian assistance” and to guarantee the “legitimate rights” of the Palestinians “in this difficult time” – the president said last Thursday. In other words: aid deliveries yes, departures from the Gaza Strip no. There are several reasons for this.
The Middle East conflict
The Palestinians claim the land between the Jordan and the Mediterranean for themselves – and are supported by many Arab states. Egypt takes the position that Israel could take over the country if everyone left the Gaza Strip – and this might finally establish facts in the Middle East conflict. Bente Scheller from the Heinrich Böll Foundation calls this “cynical.” The millions of people in the Gaza Strip “were used as political pawns by all sides – the interests of the respective country always took precedence over humanitarian interests.”
The Economy of Egypt
Although Egypt has weathered the Corona crisis relatively well economically, unemployment remains a major problem. According to the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, unemployment was officially around 7.5 percent in 2021 – however, among 15 to 24 year olds, more than 23 percent are unemployed. Almost half a million people in the Gaza Strip are also falling, more than 830,000 people in the Gaza Strip are 14 or younger and most of them will also enter the labor market in the coming years. Currently only 40 percent of the Egyptian population is employed subject to social security contributions, and around 70 percent are either poor or at risk of poverty. Hundreds of thousands of people coming to Egypt from the Gaza Strip and possibly staying permanently could add to the country’s economic problems.
The terror
The Sinai Peninsula belongs to Egypt, but is more or less under the control of the government in Cairo – also because the peace treaty with Israel limits the Egyptian troop contingent there. The north of the peninsula, which borders Israel, has long been considered unstable and a refuge for militant Islamists. Weapons are also smuggled into Gaza through tunnels. With the influx of militant Hamas supporters from the Gaza Strip, Egypt would face an even greater security problem.
Sources: , , AFP news agency
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
