Hundreds of joyous Palestinians crossed from Gaza to Egypt through a Palestinian-run border terminal yesterday -- marking the first time in nearly four decades they didn't have to submit to Israeli security checks to leave the fenced-in coastal strip.
Under the supervision of European monitors, Palestinian border officials swiftly checked passports, and had processed 250 travelers after the first hour.
Jihad Zanoun, 30, a government employee, was the first to cross.
"It is the beginning of a new era that will open a new horizon for me," said Zanoun, who was heading to Egypt to visit relatives.
The crossing had been controlled by Israelis who shut it down before they pulled out of Gaza in September, ending 38 years of occupation. Under Israel's security checks, aimed at stopping militants and weapons smugglers, it would take hours or even days for Palestinians to get through. Zanoun did it yesterday in just three minutes.
The new arrangements at Rafah are part of a US-brokered agreement between the Palestinians and Israel.
The opening of the terminal marks the first time Palestinians take control of a border, without Israeli veto powers, and was celebrated by Palestinians as a step toward independence.
It also gave a boost to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who is fighting off a strong challenge by the Islamic militant Hamas in Jan. 25 parliamentary elections.
"This is a strategic change," said Palestinian Cabinet minister Mohammed Dahlan, who helped negotiate the border deal. "People are not going to see any Israeli soldiers, not going to face any humiliation, any bad treatment."
Yesterday, the crossing was to remain open for four hours to allow the European monitors to settle in.
The terminal was to operate for an additional hour today, and eventually remain open around the clock, officials said.
Yesterday morning, hundreds of Palestinians crowded the refurbished Rafah terminal, eager to be among the first to cross, following a festive inauguration on Friday.
Naimeh Bayah, 52, who sat in a wheelchair, said she was traveling to Egypt for leg surgery. Like other travelers, she said crossing Israeli-controlled Rafah had been difficult.
"I am so tired, but happy, because I made the crossing as a human being for the first time," she said. "I had traveled before and I had to wait hours before getting in."
While some Palestinians said they were disappointed at the truncated hours, European and local officials said it was more important to get the border open quickly than to wait until they were prepared to run it full-time.
Abbas said he hoped the Palestinians' new gate to the world will spur investment but added that no economic recovery can take place without an end to rampant lawlessness in the Palestinian territories.
"The magic key that can give us everything is the key of security," he said.
The crossing was not expected to have an immediate impact on Gaza's economy. Eventually, though, Gazans will be able to export major cargo through Rafah, providing an alternative to the Karni cargo crossing into Israel, said Nigel Roberts, the World Bank's regional director.
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