Scoop: U.S., Israel, Palestinian Authority hold secret talks on Rafah crossing
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Palestinians gather at a makeshift market today in the town of Bani Suhayla. Photo: Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S., Israel and the Palestinian Authority held a secret meeting last week to discuss the reopening of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza as part of a hostage and ceasefire deal, three Israeli and U.S. officials told Axios.
Why it matters: This was the first time since Oct. 7 that U.S., Israeli and Palestinian officials met together to discuss the day after the war ends in Gaza — a highly sensitive domestic political issue in both Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
- Reopening the strategic Rafah crossing would be crucial for implementing the first phase of a hostage and ceasefire deal, which includes the transfer of wounded Hamas members to Egypt for medical treatment. This would only be possible through Rafah.
- And U.S. officials say reopening the Rafah crossing could be a first step in a wider post-war strategy for the stabilization and reconstruction of Gaza.
Where it stands: Israel and Egypt have so far failed to reach an agreement on how to reopen the crossing.
- Egypt wants personnel from the Palestinian Authority to operate the crossing. Israel wants people who aren't affiliated with Hamas to do it, but objects to any official involvement of the Palestinian Authority - mostly for domestic political reasons.
Between the lines: The Biden administration also sees the reopening as a way to start restoring some governance structures in Gaza in a way that would not include Hamas and instead would allow some involvement for the Palestinian Authority.
Behind the scenes: The participants in the meeting, which took place in Tel Aviv, included President Biden's top Middle East Adviser, Brett McGurk; the director of the Israeli Shin Bet security agency, Ronen Bar; and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas' top deputies — minister Hussein al-Sheikh and director of intelligence Majed Faraj.
- Sources briefed on the meeting said the Israeli side stressed that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu objects to any official involvement of the Palestinian Authority in the Rafah crossing.
- At the same time, the Israelis pressed Abbas' senior aides to agree to send their people to the crossing in an unofficial capacity, the sources said. The Palestinian side rejected that proposal.
- Israeli and U.S. officials say that while they understand the Palestinian Authority's objections to the proposal, they still think it is in the interest of the Palestinian Authority to have its "foot in the door" of Gaza, even in an unofficial capacity.
- The White House, the Shin Bet and al-Sheikh declined to comment.
