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EU still ready to reinvest in a new EUBAM Rafah

Border points in the Gaza Strip. (Credit: EUBAM Rafah)

(BRUSSELS2) In adopting conclusions on the Middle East Peace Process, EU Ministers today expressed "their ability to use instruments (European) in order to support the efforts of the parties, including the possible reactivation, in an appropriate manner, of the Eubam Rafah mission.»

In accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1860, calling for humanitarian access to Gaza, the EU therefore says it is ready to "exploring new possibilities in order to deal with the situation in the Gaza Strip". The control mission of the border post - between Egypt and the Gas Strip - by European customs officers could therefore be reactivated and given a new mandate, which would both allow more humanitarian access to the area and control the illegal arms flows to Gaza. The term “appropriately” means that the mandate might not correspond exactly to the one put in place in 2005 which, in any case, is now outdated.

Established in 2005, the mission was in stand-by partially since June 2006 and totally since June 2007, after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip. In July 2012, the EU had decided to reduce the activities of the mission but to leave a European presence on the spot (4 people) in case the situation changed and the mission was called upon to be redeployed.

Read also: EUBAM Rafah downsizes

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