Palestinians can enter Egypt needless of visa
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Cairo, July 24, IRNA -- Egyptian government announced here Monday evening Palestinians can from now on enters Egypt’s soil without acquiring visas.
According to the Palestinian news agency, Wafa, the Egyptian government emphasized that as of Monday night the Palestinian passengers can arrive in Cairo Airport, or through Gaza’s Rafah border, needless of visas, or security permits.
The Egyptian officials with this move lifted the restriction which was imposed by the ousted Mubarak regime at the time that the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Hamas Party won the parliamentary elections, and the siege of Gaza began both by the Zionist regime and by Egypt.
The changes appeared to be a gesture to the Palestinians after separate meetings last week between Egypt's new president, Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and the leader of Hamas, Khaled Mashaal, whose group controls Gaza.
The new measures ease the situation for those living in Gaza, which has been subject to a 5-year-old Israeli blockade keeping them penned into the tiny, Mediterranean coastal territory. The only non-Israeli outlet from the strip is through Egypt, and for years Cairo assisted the blockade. Even after Egypt officially opened the border crossing it imposed heavy restrictions.
Until now, any Palestinian under 40 was escorted by security agents to or from the Gaza border to ensure they spent no time in Egyptian territory. Palestinians saw the practice as a humiliation, especially since it often meant detention at the border or airport for up to three days, often in small rooms alongside criminals, as they waited for an escort.
The new measures end the procedure and allow Palestinians to cross through Egypt on their own arrangements, allowing them to stay in the country for up to 72 hours to do so. The measures came into effect early Monday, and took many security agencies by surprise because it came before a formal announcement was made.
An unidentified Egyptian official at the Rafah crossing separating Egypt and Gaza confirmed in an interview with the official news agency MENA that the 'deportation' policy had been 'abolished' at the crossing.
The official also said an existing black list for Palestinians barred from entering Egypt or traveling abroad is currently under review. Some on the list date back to the 1970s, following Egypt's peace deal with Israel.
Egypt's ambassador to the West Bank, Yasser Othman, said transiting Palestinians must have Palestinian national identification and passports, or a proof of residency in a third country.
'We are planning for more procedures to facilitate the movement of the Palestinians but there are no plans to cancel the visa requirement if Palestinians want to enter Egypt,' Othman said.
A Palestinian official in Cairo said more easing of restrictions are being negotiated. He and airport officials in Cairo spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Palestinians have generally been subjected to strict Egyptian travel requirements that have kept many of them, particularly after the 2000 uprising against Israel, from entering the country. The situation became more complicated as Egypt under Mubarak closely coordinated its security plans with Israel, and observed the blockade on the Hamas-controlled Gaza strip.
After a partial easing of the blockade Egypt allowed a limited number of Gazans out of the territory on humanitarian grounds. Most were subjected to the 'deportation' unless they had visas to stay in Egypt.
The director of the border crossing in Gaza, Maher Abu Sabha, said more than 20,000 Gazans are on a two-month waiting list to exit the territory.
Another Egyptian border crossing said more than 600 Gazans have already crossed into Egypt and less than 200 returned to the seaside strip Monday. The official speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media said the number of those who benefited from the easing of restrictions is not yet determined.
After years of such strict treatment, many Palestinians in Gaza were hopeful but skeptical there will be a change of treatment.
'Imagine yourself locked in a small room in the basement of the airport, not allowed to smoke, eat or go to the bathroom except after approval from a security official,' said Youssef Ramadan, a 36-year old merchant from Gaza who often travels to China through Egypt. 'Humiliation is not the word. It is a nightmare.'
He spent 36 hours in such conditions on his way back from China in May.
'It's time to end this and forever. It makes no sense to travel all over the world then Egypt, an Arab country, treats you like an animal.'
Courtesy: AP for the background
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 80243990
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