The Egyptian government has confirmed that the Rafah Crossing will be opened this week. The US pressure therefore did not bear fruit, as the Egyptian junta nods obediently to Uncle Sam but does nothing against the will of the Islamists.
In practice, the Rafah opening changes very little because Gazan terrorist groups were able to smuggle at will through some 800 tunnels. The problem is mostly a PR problem, as the Israeli government cannot pretend any longer that arms smuggling to Gaza is somehow limited.
The massive militarization of Gaza is not necessarily bad. It will turn Hamas into a mirror of Hezbollah, whom Israel deters instead of policing. With thousands of rockets aimed at large Israeli cities populated by influential leftists, our next war with Gaza will be similar to the war with Lebanon: massive destruction of infrastructure regardless of civilian casualties. Such a strategy is far cheaper than the current approach to Gaza.
Netanyahu lacks the guts to re-occupy Rafah to prevent arms smuggling to Gaza.
IF BIBI HAS THE GUTS, NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME
TO CLOSE THE BORDER BETWEEN GAZA AND ISRAEL.
LET EGYPT SUPPLY ALL THE NEEDS OF GAZA.
WELL PUT