ABBAS ASKS EGYPT TO KEEP GAZA BORDER CLOSED

IMAGINE THE HAND-WRINGING BY THE U.N. AND E.U. IF ISRAEL ASKED THAT THE BORDER BE CLOSED OR REFUSED TO OPEN A BORDER CROSSING.

Abbas Asks to Keep Gaza-Egypt Border Closed - Avi Issacharoff, Barak Ravid and Jonathan Lis
Mahmoud Abbas requested that Israel and Egypt prevent the movement of people from Egypt to Gaza through the Rafah border crossing after Hamas' mid-June takeover of the Strip, Palestinian sources said Tuesday. Abbas said if the crossing is opened, Hamas will be able to bring thousands of people into Gaza without supervision - including activists who would strengthen the group. Abbas asked that the Kerem Shalom Israel-Gaza border point be used for Gazans stranded in Egypt, but Hamas refused. (Ha'aretz)

See also Riots Erupt in Egypt-Gaza Border Airport
About 100 Palestinians smashed doors and windows inside an airport building in el-Arish in Egypt Tuesday after being trapped there for more than a month since the Gaza-Egypt border's closure. The Palestinians had first arrived at Cairo airport from trips abroad and were transferred under security supervision to el-Arish airport, where they had expected to travel onward to Gaza. But they have been stuck in el-Arish airport since Egypt sealed its border with Gaza after the Hamas takeover last month. (AP/Jerusalem Post)