For the first time, individuals crossed an international border under the control of Palestinians from Gaza into Egypt . The border crossing at Rafah has for years been a hot spot between Israel and the Palestinians. The efforts of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former World Bank President James Wolfensohn kept the parties working toward this major break through. But, this is only the first step for the Palestinians to be able to control the movement of goods and people into a Palestinian state. This effort gives the Palestinians an opportunity to show that they can manage their borders and stop contraband, weapons, and militants from moving across their border.

For at least the next 12 months, the European Union will provide monitors who will have a say in refusing people or goods at the border. The Israelis will also be monitoring the Rafah Crossing by closed-circuit TV. Individuals crossing through Rafah will have to proceed through metal detectors and have their belongings X-rayed before they can have their passports stamped by a Palestinian official.