Al-Arish – Ma’an – Egypt plans to open the Rafah crossing with the Gaza Strip three to four days in early November to allow patients, Gazan students studying abroad, holders of foreign passports, and those with residency in other countries to travel.

Egyptian security sources told Ma’an on Sunday that the crossing will likely open on either Sunday or Monday of next week. In order to cross, potential travelers will have to coordinate their plans with Egypt and with Palestinian authorities in Gaza, the sources added.

Palestinian sources in Gaza noted that more than 6,000 people have registered with the local government asking permission to leave Gaza. Another 300 Palestinians are stranded on the Egyptian side of the crossing, waiting to get in.

Ma’an’s Egyptian sources said that the plan to open the crossing was a part of an effort to “ease the Israeli siege of Gaza, regardless of the issue of Palestinian [Hamas-Fatah] dialogue.”

Although the crossing is officially inoperative, Egypt chooses to open Rafah about once a month, although potential travelers face massive bureaucratic hurdles in crossing in either direction.

With Egypt’s acquiescence, Israel has maintained a blockade of the Gaza Strip by land, sea and air since June 2007. The territory’s 1.5 million inhabitants are largely banned from travelling.

Crossing official arrested

Separately, Egyptian security has arrested Hani Al-Jabour, the Palestinian Authority’s former top official at the Rafah crossing, security sources said on Sunday.

The sources explained that Jabour was summoned by the security in the city of Al-Arish, near the Gaza border six days ago. He was held in the Sinai town for a day before being transferred to Cairo.

Jabour was the PA representative at the Rafah crossing for several years until he was suspended by Egypt. He is the son of Sa’ad Al-Jabour, a prominent member of the Palestinian community in Egyptian Rafah, a city that straddles the border with the Gaza Strip.

Egypt informed the PA in Ramallah of the arrest, officials said.

Another man was arrested in connection with Jabour’s arrest, 35-year-old Ala Al-Hindi, a driver working in Rafah. Police also searched his home looking for a computer, an official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said.