EU Civilian Operations Commander visits EUBAM Rafah
Mr. Hansjoerg HABER, the EU Civilian Operations Commander and Director of the Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC), visited EUBAM Rafah headquarters and met with Colonel Alain Faugeras, Head of the EUBAM Rafah, and with the Mission members on 23 June 2011 in Ashkelon.
Mr. Haber praised EUBAM for its continuing presence and its readiness to be reactivated, once the political and security conditions allow, in order to ensure the EU third party role at the Rafah crossing point, as set out in the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access. During his presence, Mr HABER visited the Kerem Shalom Crossing, which is the main transit hub for goods from Israel into the Gaza Strip.
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Daily work at the Rafah Crossing Point
On 15 November 2005, Israel and the Palestinian Authority concluded an "Agreement on Movement and Access", including agreed principles for Rafah crossing (Gaza). On 21 November 2005, the Council of the EU welcomed the Agreement and agreed that the EU should undertake the Third Party role proposed in the Agreement. It therefore decided to launch the EU Border Assistance Mission at Rafah crossing point, code-named EU BAM Rafah, to monitor the operations of this border crossing point. The operational phase of the mission began on 30 November 2005. The Rafah crossing point was last opened with the presence of EUBAM Rafah on 9 June 2007. Since then, the mission has remained on standby, ready to re-engage in 24 hours and awaiting a political solution.
On 26 May 2011, the Council reaffirmed the political importance of EUBAM Rafah and its continued support for the mission. It recalled in particular that the EU stands ready to reactivate the EUBAM Rafah Mission, once political and security conditions allow, in order to ensure the EU third party role at the Rafah crossing point, as set out in the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access.