EUBAM Rafah's mandate soon to be extended and adjusted
(BRUSSELS2) The mandate of EUBAM Rafah, the European border monitoring mission in Gaza must be extended until 31 December. This mission, which is currently on stand-by pending a green light from the Israeli and Palestinian authorities, could be called upon to play a new role in the event of developments in the peace process in the Middle East or recognition of the Palestinian state. And this extension is therefore sensitive. The ambassadors of the COPS - the political and security committee - must give their agreement on May 17 if the Palestinian authority and Israel agree. According to the information that was reported to me, the agreement of the first has been acquired and we are awaiting the Israeli agreement.
The decision founding EUBAM Rafah will also be modified on two points to prepare for future development by bringing it closer to the other EU mission (police). Thus EUBAM Rafah will receive in its missions that " to assist(r) EUPOL COPPS in its other tasks in the field of training Palestinian Authority personnel responsible for border and crossing management at the Gaza crossings”.
For its part, the COPS will receive a mandate from the 27 Foreign Ministers, to " appoint a head of mission and modify the OPLAN ", the plan of operation, as well as on the " skills needed to make subsequent decisions regarding the appointment of the head of mission ". The Council, on the other hand, remains vested with decision-making power (on) the objectives and the end of the mission ».
The possible merger with the EUPOL mission, like the redefinition of the powers of the mission, are eminently political questions which cannot be decided in advance. The idea of a merger of the two missions considered for some time no longer seems to be automatically the majority path.
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