US, Egyptian and Israeli officials failed to make progress in a meeting last Sunday about reopening the Rafah crossing after the Israeli side refused to allow any role for the Palestinian Authority in operating the strategic site, according to four US and Israeli officials.
According to Report, which cites Axios, unnamed American and Israeli officials have reported that during a meeting held on June 2, representatives from both sides failed to "achieve progress" in resolving the issue of Gaza border crossings due to the stance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to the sources cited by Axios, Netanyahu is categorically opposed to any involvement of the Palestinian National Authority in managing the checkpoints. While he does not object to Palestinians unaffiliated with Hamas working at the border crossing, he insists that they do so as a "local civilian committee" rather than as official representatives of the Palestinian administration.