Jerusalem – The European Union is ready to send 50 to 70 inspectors to the Gaza-Egypt border by Nov. 25, the target date for opening the crossing to Palestinian traffic, the EU’s Mideast envoy said Wednesday, a day after the United States brokered a hard-fought deal on Gaza crossings.
The European team, which will be headed by an Italian police general, has the crucial task of monitoring the Rafah crossing to allay Israeli concerns that militant leaders or advanced weapons will slip into Gaza, while training the Palestinians to run a professional border terminal.
“The objective is to bring the Rafah terminal up to international standards, to build confidence with Israel and the Palestinians so that they’re able to do without a third party in a number of months,” said Marc Otte, the EU’s Mideast envoy.
The European monitors were a key part of the deal that Israel and the Palestinians accepted Tuesday after 20 weeks of negotiations. The monitors will act as mediators between the Israelis, who will keep tabs on the border via closed-circuit television, and the Palestinians running the crossing.
Israel can object to letting someone cross, but the Palestinians will have ultimate authority over who passes.
