The “primary objective” was not to conquer Rafah but to “prevent the smuggling of arms and weapons,” the report found.
The current agreement between Israel and Egypt, reached in 2005 when Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza, designates Egypt to send a force of 750 soldiers to secure the border to combat terrorism and smuggling. Israeli officials say the deal is outdated, especially since Hamas took control of the enclave in 2007 and Mr Netanyahu has vowed to restore security along the border. Egypt says it has taken significant action to secure the area and eliminate tunnels, and that some smuggling into Gaza also originates from Israel.
“There are now three barriers between the Sinai Peninsula and Rafah in Palestine, making any smuggling impossible, whether above or below ground,” Egypt’s chief spokesman Diaa Rashwan said on Tuesday.
Nonetheless, the United States is brokering a deal between Egypt and Israel to build a more technologically advanced barrier on the Egyptian side of the border that will be funded by Washington and remotely monitored by the United States and Israel.
If Israel captures Rafah and secures its borders, the question of who will rule Gaza after the fighting is over remains unanswered. “The key to making Gaza safe for both Israelis and Gazans is what happens after the fighting,” said Lawrence Friedman, emeritus professor of war studies at King’s College London.
“From the outset, the lack of a credible political dimension to Israel’s strategy has been its most glaring flaw,” Friedman wrote in an email. He added that Israel had failed to recognize the impact of high civilian casualties on its reputation and to develop a plan for the Gaza government and its reconstruction, “which is crucial if Hamas does not want to return to its original position.”
