The Border Narrative: A Tale of Two Blockades
The pattern hiding in plain sight: Coverage of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt often presents its closures and openings as discrete events, implying a return to normalcy after a crisis. For instance, the CBS News article highlights a 'two-day closure' followed by a 'reopening.' This framing suggests that access is largely unencumbered outside of specific incidents, reducing complex
political control to a mere logistical ebb and flow. The article does not interrogate who controls this access, or the broader context of Gaza's long-term siege. CASE A: Limited 'Reopening' in Rafah (2024) The CBS News headline reads, 'Gaza's Rafah border crossing reopens again, allowing limited travel for Palestinians to and from Egypt.' The emphasis is on 'allowing limited travel,' implying a
concession or a positive development. The keyword 'reopens' suggests a default state of openness that has been temporarily interrupted. CASE B: Constant Constraints at Allenby Bridge/King Hussein Crossing (Decades) Consider the Allenby Bridge (or King Hussein Crossing) between the West Bank and Jordan. This crossing, the only egress for many Palestinians in the West Bank to the outside world not
controlled by Israel, has been subject to continuous, stringent Israeli control since 1967. Palestinians endure extensive security checks, arbitrary delays, and frequent denials of passage without public furore or a sense of 'closure' or 'reopening' making international headlines. The 'limited travel' at Rafah is an acute event; at Allenby, it's the chronic condition. For example, a 2011 report by