GOE RE-OPENS RAFAH FOR PALESTINIANS TO RETURN TO

S E C R E T CAIRO 001402 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA AND NEA/IPA NSC FOR PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2018 TAGS: PARM PREL KPAL EG SUBJECT: GOE RE-OPENS RAFAH FOR PALESTINIANS TO RETURN TO GAZA REF: A. CAIRO 1400 ¶B. CAIRO 1340 ¶C. CAIRO 1180 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Ambassador Margaret Scobey for reason 1.4 (b). ¶1. (C) MFA Acting Palestinian Affairs Director Barakat El-Leithy told us that the GOE re-opened the Rafah crossing July 3 on a temporary basis to allow Palestinians to return to Gaza from Egypt. He said that these were mostly wounded and sick Palestinians who received medical treatment in Egypt and in other countries, such as Turkey. On July 3, El-Leithy described the Rafah crossing as "much more organized" than on July 2 when disturbances forced the GOE to close the crossing (ref A). He said that the GOE had succeeded July 2 in persuading Hamas to prevent crowds from massing on the Palestinian side of the crossing, so that the vicinity was relatively calm the during the late afternoon of July 2 and throughout the morning and afternoon of July 3. According to El-Leithy, the GOE has not yet decided whether to re-open the crossing on a temporary basis to allow Palestinians and third country nationals to enter Egypt. ¶2. (S) LAWIO Chief MG Nagy told us that the GOE allowed approximately 500 Palestinians to cross Rafah to return to Gaza between 10 AM and 4 PM on July 3. He said that some of the Palestinians had been refused permission to enter third countries and decided to return to Gaza. SCOBEY