Egypt announces deal to reopen Rafah crossing, but when will it actually open? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East
▻http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/11/egypt-pa-deal-rafah-crossing-open-hamas-opposition.html
As a precondition to handing it over to the PA, Hamas demands that it (Hamas) be included in the management of the Rafah crossing. In this regard, Rizqa told Al-Monitor, “Hamas welcomed the presence of the PA at the Rafah crossing. But managing said crossing must be in accordance with the principle of administrative partnership, which was agreed upon in the reconciliation agreement in April 2014.”
He added, “Hamas seeks to solve the problems resulting from the Palestinian division all at once, as agreed on during the Palestinian reconciliation negotiations, refusing selectivity in implementing the reconciliation agreement.”
A Fatah political leader confirmed Ahmad’s statements, and told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “Abbas discussed with the Egyptians the mechanism for opening the Rafah crossing. But, if its conditions were not met, Hamas refuses to hand the crossing over to the PA. Said conditions include allowing the presence of 60 of its [Hamas’] employees, who would take part in the management of the crossing, in addition to receiving Egyptian guarantees giving Hamas leaders unrestricted passage from and to the Gaza Strip, as well as the disbursement of withheld salaries owed to Hamas employees.”
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