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Palestinian Minister Says Re-Opened Rafah Crossing "New Start"

Posted on: Sunday, 27 November 2005, 09:00 CST

Text of live satellite interview with Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Muhammad Dahlan, in Ramallah, by Al-Jazeera anchorwoman Iman Ayyad, in the Doha studio, carried by Qatari Al- Jazeera satellite TV on 26 November

[Ayyad] Now joins us from Ramallah [Palestinian National Authority] PNA Minister of Civil Affairs Muhammad Dahlan. Mr Muhammad, to begin with, how does the Palestinian side evaluate the step of opening the Rafah crossing?

[Dahlan] This is the first time in the Palestinian history that the Rafah crossing is under the control the Palestinian side. The Palestinian policemen receive citizens with all respect and politeness and escort them until they complete the procedures to pass into the Egyptian side and vice versa. Today has been the first day for implementing the training that took place over the past weeks. All difficulties or minor problems facing arriving and departing Palestinian citizens are being handled on the ground. This is a new life; a new window of hope; and a new future for the Palestinian people, particularly the residents of the Gaza Strip who hold ID cards, be they the Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip or abroad. This is a new experience. Today, the process took place with integrity and seriousness. An around-50-passenger- bus [incomplete sentence as heard]. It takes only 15 minutes for a Palestinian passenger to pass through the Palestinian crossing into the Egyptian side and vice versa. On the other hand, in the time of the [Israeli] occupation, this process used to take long days. Hence, the opening represents a new start for the Palestinian citizens, who used to suffer a lot on the border crossing, which was a place for daily suffering and slow individual and mass killing of Palestinian citizens.

[Ayyad] In this new experience, you stress the full sovereignty of the Palestinian people. What about the limits and powers of the EU observers? Where do these limits start and where do they end?

[Dahlan] The limit of the role of the international observers is contingent on the implementation of agreements and ensuring its implementation by the Palestinians and Israelis, who do not have direct responsibilities, except monitoring tasks to ascertain that the Palestinian side is implementing the exact agreement concluded with the US secretary of state. The Palestinian police and the Palestinian side are directly responsible for all operations inside this outlet. The EU team and the third party are only in charge of monitoring [the movement]. However, there are issues related to an understanding, which includes all Palestinians holding ID cards, either those living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank or those living abroad. As for the Palestinians, Arabs, visitors, and businessmen who want to visit the Palestinian territories, they can do so when they obtain a visit permit issued by the Palestinian [National] Authority - the only party entitled to issue such a permit. This procedure will be effective shortly after we finalize arrangements and measures. You should remember that this is the first day of our history, on which we assume direct responsibilities at this crossing. Therefore, some delays or problems could happen here and there. I believe that in three days all arrangements will be completed so as to allow everyone to move from and to the Gaza Strip. I speak of all brothers who were stranded and hate to suffer several forms of humiliation, which Israel used to exercise against them.

[Ayyad, interrupting] Sorry for the interruption, but what about some Palestinian leaders. What would your position be if Israel objected to allowing some Palestinian leaders to move in or out?

[Dahlan] First of all, that a Palestinian leader moves out of the Gaza Strip is a purely Palestinian affair. Secondly, the protocol [of the agreement] states the cases of people not holding a Palestinian ID card, who have the right to return from abroad throughout the year. These people are four categories; businessmen, guests, humanitarian cases, and some Palestinian cases according to a decision by the PNA. After 12 months of concluding the agreement, it will be re-evaluated so as to learn lessons. The third party, not Israel, has the right to judge our performance in light of this agreement.

[Ayyad] Minister of Civil Affairs Muhammad Dahlan, from Ramallah, thank you very much.

Source: BBC Monitoring Middle East

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