Gaza and Rafah gear up for economic comeback

On November 26, over 1500 Palestinians poured into Egypt from Gaza through a Palestinian-run border of Rafah, marking the first time ‘officially’ in nearly 40 years Palestinians were able to skip Israeli security checks. Rafah Terminal, now under the control of the Palestinians, allowed droves of people to cross between Gaza and Egypt unperturbed.

Officially because Saturday’s event was truly ceremonial and official more than anything. With the relaxed border situation following the Israeli withdrawal from the Strip September 12, crowds rushed across the border.
Weeks before Ramadan, thousands of Palestinians poured into Egypt from Gaza to shop for food in preparation for the holy month in the Islamic calendar. Visiting families and relatives helped boost the economy in the poorer Egyptian border dotted with traders wanting to cash in on Palestinians desperate for goods and other vital supplies.  September 19 saw thousands of Palestinians break through border patrols following the Israeli disengagement from Gaza, after 38 years of control over the occupied territory.
The reopening of Rafah is crucial for the economic recovery of Gaza, an impoverished crowded coastal strip of 1.3 million Palestinians.
Palestinians on a wild shopping frenzy bought cheap gas, cheese, chocolate, cigarettes, medicines, goats and sheep, even hunting rifles and brought them back to Gaza for much-needed stocks. Egyptian traders wanted the border kept wide open for as long as it could due to the amount of trading, sometimes price gouging, they’ve managed to do. After all, Egypt exerted a lot of effort in striking a deal with the Israelis on the Rafah border crossing and the reopening of the Gaza International Airport. The deal negotiated by the Egyptians allowed incoming goods into Gaza but under Israeli supervision. The weekend proved good for the Egyptian economy as it did for the subsistence of the poor Palestinians entering a month of fasting.
September’s spike in trade and shopping tourism led to an increase in visitors count by about 60 times during that week, according to the Egyptian local chamber of commerce. Almost 2/3 of the increased trading at the border was attributed to the influx of Palestinians out on a shopping spree. 
Consequentially, residents at the border suffered from inflated prices of goods because of unchecked price gouging by market hawkers.
The fun was cut short. Two days later, 750 Egyptian police sealed off the Rafah Crossing leaving some Palestinians stranded on the Egyptian side. Later, the Palestinians were released back to Gaza starting with students holding Palestinian nationality.
In New York at the United Nations, the Quartet (composed of the UN, the US, Russia and the European Union) discussed the security of the Palestinian Authority, the issue of Gaza airport and seaport and the connection of Gaza to the West Bank.
In October, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network sent a delegation to visit the Gaza Strip to document the human rights situation in relation to the Israeli ‘Disengagement Plan’. According to the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, the team concluded that following evacuation of the Israeli settlements Gazans are now able to move within the Gaza Strip and have access to 40 percent land previously occupied by Israel. However, the mission team also concluded the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip remains, and Palestinians’ right to freedom of movement was under Israeli control. Restrictions on freedom of movement hamper Palestinians’ possibilities to work for an improvement of the economy. Several restrictions on movement separate families that live on different sides of borders. Chances for them to meet depended on the Israeli’s willingness to do so.
Today as the world watches, Gazans are busy rebuilding their city. In the hope of becoming a tourist attraction, Gaza looks upon itself with the vision to sell its seashore, gardens, parks, culture, archaeology and hospitality to guests.
One thing tourists may care to know, Rafah is part of the Holy Family Route – among the many offerings Gaza can pride itself with. According to Coptic tradition the two thieves Demas and Titus crucified with Jesus, saw the Holy Family somewhere between Rafah and al-Arish, about 50 kilometers from the border itself.

By Hazel Heyer

CAIRO, Egypt (eTurboNews)

November 28, 2005   Posted in: Middle East General