The demand for an official border crossing in Tfail raises a development question for Baalbeck and the villages of the eastern border. In Nida al-Watan of 11 November, Issa Yehya pleaded to advance this option, taking as a point of comparison Abboudiyeh-Dabboussyeh. His article defends a proposal. It does not report a decision by the two States to open Tfail.
This distinction is essential for both residents and carriers: a public demand, proposed accommodations and a post actually authorized correspond to three different situations. The expected benefit of a passage must be examined before it can be announced a usable route.
Reduce isolation without promising a shortcut
The newspaper’s argument is based on Tfail’s ties to its Syrian environment and on the interest of an economic connection for the eastern localities. A passage could facilitate certain movements or exchanges, depending on the route chosen and the rules applied. However, no time or cost savings can be calculated without a journey and traffic study.
The opening up also concerns the services available to the inhabitants throughout the year. It is therefore necessary to distinguish between local traffic, business needs and the transit of goods over long distances. Equipment designed for one of these uses does not automatically respond to the other two.
A passage is a set of services
A road is not enough to constitute a border crossing. It is necessary to provide for checks on persons and goods, customs procedures, equipment and personnel. For goods subject to special requirements, further checks may also be necessary.
Above all, the devices on both sides must be compatible. Different schedules, poorly defined documents or insufficient capacity can create queues and cancel part of the expected gain. These are matters of administrative preparation and arrangements between the competent authorities, not just the roadworks.
Comparison with the North has its limits
The case of Abboudiyeh-Dabboussyeh, referred to in the press, feeds the plea for eastern access. Al Liwa of 11 November also reported work on military and General Security installations in Abboudiyeh. This type of development recalls the institutional dimension of a crossing, beyond the physical crossing of the border.
However, it does not allow a model to be directly transposed to Tfail. Population pools, access roads and trade flows should be assessed separately. A useful comparison would cover the needs covered, the investments needed and the sustainable cost of operation, rather than the only distance to the border.
Next steps to document
To transform the application into a verifiable project, it would be necessary to identify the public carrier, the scope of the crossing, the studies available and the decisions expected from both countries. Funding for the work and for permanent services should also be distinguished.
In the absence of these confirmed elements, Tfail remains a development proposal in the public debate. It can be examined for its possible effects on residents and trade, without prematurely announcing a new opening. The question raised today is the question of feasibility and public choice, not of reservations or formalities already accessible to travellers.
Illustration: Masnaa passage, archives · This is not Tfail. Integer photo resized proportionally, no cropping or retouching. It does not represent a current operation. © Libnanews
Comments