Speaking today at a mosque, Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh told worshipers that he is “confident” that new Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi will shield the strip from future Israeli invasions and will fully open the border to trade.
“We are confident that Egypt, the revolution led by Mursi, will never provide cover for any new aggression or war on Gaza,” said Haniyeh. Mursi’s election was followed by major celebrations in Gaza, anticipating the change.
But while officials say that there has been some increase in traffic out of the Gaza Strip since Mursi took office, they say it is simply the usual seasonal change and that no actual policy shift has taken place so far.
And it might not be happening any time soon, as one diplomat said, because “the man has a million domestic problems to handle at home” and the Gaza Strip is likely to be fairly low on the list compared to his attempts to restore parliament and reconcile with the military junta.
