ISRAEL / GAZA: Talks progress towards securing third-party European Union control over Rafah border crossing.

Record ID: 565167

  • Title: ISRAEL / GAZA: Talks progress towards securing third-party European Union control over Rafah border crossing.
  • Date: 6th November 2005
  • Summary: WIDE OF EREKAT AND MARK OTTE
  • Embargoed: 21st November 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,European Union
  • Reuters ID: LVAF448HG2MEGJS8SZZE04XILSRV
  • Story Text: The European Union progressed with plans to secure third-party control of the controversial Gaza crossing on Sunday (November 6), meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to discuss the move. Just hours before the Israeli cabinet convened in Jerusalem, Israeli Vice-Premier Shimon Peres met with European Union (EU) representatives in Tel Aviv to discuss a move approved by Israel's cabinet to allow international third-party control of the controversial Gaza crossing. "We see in this occasion, the end of our responsibility in Gaza and the beginning of the Palestinian responsibility over this place. Objectively there are a great deal of problems there. We wouldn't like to undermine the depth of the complications which exist, but we are united in order really to improve this situation," Peres said during the meeting. It will be the first time since Israel captured the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967 that Palestinians will be allowed to enter and leave either territory without passing through Israeli controls. The move means that EU monitors would help to secure a border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, to allow Palestinians to come and go freely after the Israeli withdrawal from the strip. Israel calls the crossing a security threat, saying the border is used for weapons smuggling and other terrorist activity. Later on Sunday, EU representatives met with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie to discuss the issue. "Once all these outstanding issues are resolved it will be the last piece of the puzzle, the European Union has said they are willing to provide this last piece of the puzzle. Therefore to play the role of third party. Of course it is too early to start negotiating the details of that. Israel and the Palestinian Authority still have to agree among themselves," Mark Otte, European Union envoy, said following the meeting. Under the plan accepted last week the foot crossing would be under foreign supervision to assuage Israeli fears that arms and militants could easily cross into Gaza. "In terms of building our capacity, technical know-how, training and so on, we want a responsible third party at the passage and we also appreciate the fact that the European Union has decided to take this part," Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told reporters after the meeting. Since withdrawing from Gaza in September, after 38 years of occupation, Israel has been under pressure from the United States to help open up Gaza's frontiers so Palestinians can trade and travel more easily. The United States hopes a thriving economy in Gaza will help peacemaking under the "road map" it backs for Palestinian statehood.
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