The New Bosses Do Israel's Bidding As Much As The Old Bosses

Tensions grow as Egypt restricts use of Rafah crossing

"GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Egypt opened its Rafah border with Gaza several hours later than scheduled Saturday, causing tension as hundreds of Palestinians waited to cross.

The director of the Palestinian side, Salameh Barakeh, said Egypt decided to allow travelers to enter on foot rather than buses.

The decision was difficult to implement due to the number of patients, elderly people and children who were traveling among others across the sole Egyptian exit from Gaza, Barakeh told reporters at a news conference.

The crossing will remain closed for the rest of the day, Barakeh said. He urged residents to follow up with the Ministry of the Interior in Gaza while both sides try to come to an agreement to end the crisis.

According to a security source in Egypt, the opening of the crossing was delayed for works which were to have been completed Friday.

Several buses queued at the Egyptian gate, and dozens of Palestinians tried to break through the crossing into Egypt, witnesses said.

Egyptian security officers lined up carrying clubs preparing to stop any border breach, onlookers told Ma'an."

As soon as I heard that the Rafah border crossing was going to be opened I recognized it was a propaganda stunt, and sure enough it was.