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Originally Posted by sperbonzo
So again I ask all the Israel haters here.... Why doesn't the aid go straight though Egypt to Gaza?
You all seem to be avoiding that...
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What is Israel's Blockade For?
Jun 2 2010, 10:37 AM ET | Comment
Many of my commenters seem to think that the point of the Gaza blockade is simply to keep war materiel from reaching insurgents in Gaza. That is not the reason for the Gaza blockade, though it may be one goal. But the strategy is much farther reaching than that: it is to topple Hamas by immiserating the people who elected them. Check out some of the war materiel being blockaded:
and more :
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So why does Egypt continue to restrict access to Gaza?
THE BURDEN OF GAZA -- Cairo believes that if it left the Egypt-Gaza border wide open Israel would wash its hands of responsibility for ensuring the Gazans receive enough to keep them alive -- food, water, medical supplies, electricity and other essentials. Egyptian diplomats say that Israel would seal the border with Gaza on its side, diverting all trade and traffic through Egypt.
The burden would be a drain on Egyptian resources and the authorities might find it hard to prevent an influx of Gaza Palestinians seeking work and housing.
In one worst-case scenario Israel might hold Egypt responsible for any attacks on Israel launched from Gaza, forcing Egypt to act as Gaza policeman -- a role fraught with danger. Egypt's presence in Gaza between 1948 and 1967, and its inability to impose full control on Palestinian groups there, helped drag Egypt into war with Israel in 1956 and 1967.
Despite the Egyptian border restrictions, Palestinians have been using a network of tunnels for smuggling between Egypt and Gaza.
THE ISLAMIST FACTOR -- The split between Hamas and the rival Fatah movement reflects the ideological divide between the opposition Muslim Brotherhood movement in Egypt and the Cairo government. Historically Hamas is an offshoot of the Brotherhood and acknowledges the Egypt-based group as its mentor. On the other side the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority has institutions closely modeled on those of the Egyptian state. As one condition for reopening the border, the Egyptian government demands that Hamas recognize the legitimacy and authority of the Palestinian Authority. Egypt also fears that Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood will cooperate behind its back, adding to the internal security threats which are Cairo's main concern. Although Cairo says it is neutral between Hamas and Fatah, officials have made remarks suggesting they are much closer to the Fatah way of thinking.
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Meanwhile, EGYPT has lifted the blockade: