[Christian Science Monitor] Ilene R. Prusher - Figures collected by European monitors at Rafah, the crossing into Egypt, show that some 14,000 Palestinians have left Gaza in the past year. Palestinian officials had asked to close the Rafah crossing into Egypt when they saw they could not protect European monitors there. "The real people controlling Rafah are Hamas, because they're just outside the checkpoint and they're controlling who can come and go," said Shlomo Dror, Israel's spokesman for the coordinator for government activities in the territories. Gazans who hope to leave are turning to agents who demand several thousand dollars for a plane ticket and a visa. The idea is to get to Egypt, and then, when the plane stops somewhere in Europe on its way west, to get off and ask for political asylum. Assad Abu Nihad paid $2,500 to a broker to arrange his son's trip. The son got off the plane in Spain on his way to Cuba and claimed asylum.
2007-06-15 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive