THE GAZA STRIP CROSSINGS: WHY DO THEY OPEN OR CLOSE?
Open Access
- Author:
- Giblin, Phelim Joseph
- Area of Honors:
- International Politics
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Joseph Wright, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Gretchen G Casper, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Gaza Strip
Gaza
Israel
Egypt
Sinai
Crossings
Rafah Crossing
Kerem Shalom
Muslim Brotherhood
Morsi - Abstract:
- The Gaza Strip is one of the worst human rights disasters in recent human history. Over 1.8 million Palestinians are crammed into about 140 square miles on the coast of the southeast Mediterranean. This territory is considered by some to be a part of Israel, and by others a part of an independent Palestinian state. Gaza’s only other neighbor is Egypt who is in the midst of a distinctly unstable point in its history. Since the Arab Spring uprisings began in Tunisia in 2011, Egypt has had five different regimes. This paper will use this scenario to determine what kind of effect the Egyptian government has on the situation in the Gaza Strip. It will utilize data gathered on the only crossing point between Gaza and the Sinai, along with terrorist attack data to determine this. Additionally, this paper will examine shifts in the Israeli government alongside data on the Kerem Shalom Crossing to determine how these affect Gaza’s situation. The focus will be on the impact the Muslim Brotherhood can have on Egyptian policies towards the Gaza Strip when they play a prominent part in government. This is due to their anti-Israel rhetoric and their connection to Hamas as Islamist parties. I find that as the Muslim Brotherhood plays a larger role in the Egyptian government, days that the Rafah Crossing is open increase and terrorist attacks in the Sinai decrease. I also find that leading up to an Israeli election month they are more likely to close Kerem Shalom in response to terrorist attacks in Southern Israel. To conclude I discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the Muslim Brotherhood holding more power in the Egyptian government.