Palestinian Rafah border crossing opens
The advisor for the Palestinian presidency Nabil Abu Rudinah said that operating the Rafah border crossing with Egypt will start tomorrow at a rate of four hours to be increased gradually.
In a joint press conference with the chairman of the European observers mission Piatro Pestolizi, he said that the sovereignty on the crossing will be in Palestinian hands.
Pestolizi said that the crossing will be opened for limited periods of time until all members of the arrival 70-member mission will arrive.
With the participation of Persident Abbas, the Palestinian authority held a reception today afternoon at the crossing on the occasion of reopening it , three months after the withdrawal of Israel from Gaza.
The Palestinian civil affairs minister Muhammad Dahlan said that an agreement was made with the Egyptian side to exempt Palestinians who are over 40 years old or under 18 year old from getting an entry visa to Egypt. Egypt said the border is to be opened 24 hours a day.
He stressed that it was agreed to establish liaison and coordination offices between the Palestinian and Egyptian sides in the security and civilian fields.
