November 23, 2005

Agreement May Open Israel's Borders to Terrorists

On November 25, the Palestinian Authority (PA) plans to celebrate the opening of the Rafah Terminal linking Egypt’s Sinai peninsula and the Gaza Strip. Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the PA will speak as well as top officials from Jordan and Egypt. For the Palestinians, it’s a reason for celebration but according to many Israelis, the opening could be a disaster in the making.

The opening follows an intense diplomatic effort by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice just over a week ago. She delayed her trip to join President Bush in Asia by one day just to make sure Israel and the Palestinians agreed to the plan. Officially called the “Agreement on Movement and Access”, it marks the first time in history Palestinians will control an international border of their own. Ordinarily this would be a cause for rejoicing but like many circumstances here in the Middle East, this is not necessarily an ordinary situation.

The news this week from Israel has been dominated by the collapse of the Sharon government, his departure from the Likud political party, and forming an entirely new one. It’s obvious Rice knew about the impending collapse of the Sharon government and knew she had to move before the government fell. Once it fell, she might not be able to make an agreement at all for months, if ever.

The motivation for the agreement is to allow the economy in the Gaza Strip to flourish, to be able to trade freely with Egypt, the outside world and with the West Bank. Great motives, but it’s what this does for Israel’s security is what alarms many observers here in the Middle East. According to these observers, the agreement raises serious questions about the ability for Israel to control its own borders.

Some of these questions include: Will Israel be able to unilaterally close the border if it believes there’s an impending terror threat?

Will it be able to oversee the upcoming convoys of buses and trucks that will be allowed passage from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank?

Will Israel be allowed a presence in the liaison office headed by the EU that monitors traffic at the Rafah Terminal?

What will happen in the future when agreements are struck on both the seaport and airport in Gaza? Will Israel be able to monitor or control the possible transfer of weapons and terrorists into Gaza?

Rafah has been a common smuggling route for both weapons and terrorists. The border with Egypt has already been the passageway for tons of explosives since Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip. Now, it’s possible this agreement – with the prodding of the U.S. – will weaken the sovereignty of Israel and open up its borders to terrorists committed to its destruction.

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