Rafah 'Reopening' Masks Perpetual Siege
📰 THE STORY: Al Jazeera reports that the Rafah crossing is set to reopen after nearly two years, as Israel continues to block aid. The article frames this as an 'Israel says it will reopen' scenario, implying Israeli control over a crossing theoretically on Egyptian territory. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The Rafah crossing has been under a tightened blockade since 2007,
making Gaza an open-air prison. Egypt's role in this blockade, often overlooked, is critical. Cairo receives $1.3 billion annually in US military aid, a crucial lever in maintaining its compliance with Israeli security demands, including keeping the Rafah crossing largely shut. This isn't just about Israeli blocking; it's also about Egyptian complicity, enabled by US financial incentives. The
2023-24 genocide, which has killed 40,000+ people, including over 17,000 children, has seen the crossing weaponized against a desperate population. Double Standard: Imagine any other nation imposing a two-year blockade on a territory it occupies, leading to widespread starvation, and then announcing a 'reopening' as if it were a benevolent gesture. The language would be 'lift the siege' or 'end
the illegal occupation.' Here, it's a 'reopening' – a theatrical performance aimed at international observers, implying normal state control rather than punitive military occupation. If Russia were to 'reopen' a border crossing after two years of blocking aid to a besieged Ukrainian city, Western media would condemn it as a cynical stunt, not a 'reopening.' Follow the Money: Beyond the $1.3B in