Israeli PM Office Denies Report On Palestinian Approval Manages Rafah Crossing

Rafah's crossing. (Wikimedia Commons/Have a coolie

JAKARTA - Israel has denied media reports that it has agreed to allow the Palestinian Authority (PA) to take over control of the Rafah Crossing located between the Gaza Strip and Egypt upon reopening.

However, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office noted that PA is currently playing a role in approving visas out and also opens up the possibility for them to play a bigger role in the future.

The Prime Minister's office accused PA of trying to "create a wrong impression, they are controlling the crossing," quoted from The Times of Israel January 22.

The Office of the Prime Minister noted that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is currently deployed at crossing points and "no one passed it without the supervision and approval of the IDF and Shin Bet."

They claim, "non-Hamas Gazans" provide crossing technical management with international surveillance and PA provides a passport stamp that allows Gazans to leave the Gaza Strip.

Earlier, British-based Asharq Al-Awsat media reported that during this week's conversation in Cairo between Head of Shin Bet Ronen Bar, Mossad Chief David Barnea and Egyptian intelligence officials, agreed to allow PA to manage crossings "under international surveillance and the United Nations."

The report, citing sources familiar with the meeting, noted the current arrangement was temporary and "only concerned with this ceasefire stage."

The Prime Minister's office also acknowledged that the current arrangement at the crossing was for "the first stage of the deal and will be re-examined later."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly vowed that PA could not take control of Gaza after the war, although many international observers and Israeli defense officials had suggested it was the most viable alternative.