Rafah crossing to stay open on June 30

Egyptian security forces do not plan to close the Rafah crossing on Gaza's border during protests planned for June 30, a senior Egyptian official said Friday. The official told Ma'an that the area in North Sinai was secure following the deployment of the Egyptian army to border towns and the closure of smuggling tunnels. He said if violence disrupted the security situation, officials may review the decision to keep the Rafah terminal open through the protests. Opponents to Mohammad Mursi have called for a mass rally on June 30 to mark the day Mursi was sworn in as Egypt's first civilian and Islamist president. Egypt is deeply divided between Mursi supporters, who believe he is restarting institutions after decades of corruption, and his critics, who accuse him of massing power for the Muslim Brotherhood from which he hails. The call for the June 30 protests was launched by Tamarod (Arabic for Rebellion), a grassroots movement launched in April seeking to withdraw confidence from Mursi. Capitalizing on low spirits caused by a severe economic crisis, including fuel shortages, power cuts and soaring inflation, it collected more than 15 million signatures calling for early presidential elections. Several opposition parties and groups back the calls, while several Islamist parties have called for an "ongoing" demonstration from Friday in support of Morsi's "legitimacy". Coming just two days before the opposition's planned June 30 demonstration, it has sparked concerns of the political situation worsening and the possibility of more violence.