Egypt will open its only crossing into the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Cairo military officials announced on Wednesday. If the opening proceeds as planned, it will be a major security agreement breach with Israel, setting the stage for increased hostilities in the region.

When the gates open this weekend, it will end a four-year partial blockade of the terrorist-ruled territory. As part of the peace agreement following Israel’s Cast Lead operation, which was designed to prevent rocket attacks from Gaza, Egypt agreed to close its border to help stop Hamas from smuggling in weapons and bomb-making material from Egypt.

Now Gaza residents will be able to more freely enter and exit Egypt.

Egypt’s Middle East News Agency said Egypt’s new military rulers are opening the Rafah crossing as a way to promote “national reconciliation” between Palestinians in Samaria and Gaza and “to end the status of the Palestinian division.”

But the opening of Rafah is also hugely symbolic of the change in Egypt-Israel relations. The fall of Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak has had a dramatic impact on Egyptian foreign policy. Mubarak was a strong partner in the peace process. He also recognized the danger of a Muslim Brotherhood-inspired Hamas-state north of the border. However, since America helped support Mubarak’s overthrow, a drastic radicalization of Egyptian politics has swung Egypt much further into the pro-Iran camp.

The opening of the Rafa crossing—a hugely important issue for Israel because of its potential security threat—shows just how quickly the Egyptian-Israeli security agreement may be breaking down. It also reveals how quickly Iranian-minded elements in Egypt are gaining power.

To see just where the Egyptian-Israeli relationship is headed, read “Egypt and Israel: the Geographic Reality.”