[WCUSP] You may be interested

[yvonne simmons]

Dear all,

 

please find below the written question I sent to the
European Council concerning the clousure of Rafah
Crossing Point and the role of the European Observers
there.

 

Best wishes,

 

Luisa Morgantini 

Chair of the Development Committee - European
Parliament

 

 

 

 

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3805/0

by Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL)

to the Council

 

Subject: Closure of the Rafah Crossing Point

 

Since 25 June 2006 the Rafah Crossing Point has
remained closed on all but rare occasions. This,
combined with the closure of the Karni Crossing and
the continual bombing raids by the Israeli army, has
led to an unendurable humanitarian situation in the
Gaza Strip.

 

The personnel assigned to EU BAM Rafah, the European
Union Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing
Point, live in Israel – Kerem Shalom and Ashquelon –
and the Israeli authorities mostly refuse to let them
go to Rafah because they maintain that the conditions
fall short of the minimum level of security.

 

1. Does the Council not believe that it would be more
appropriate for the mission personnel to be housed in
the Gaza Strip or in Egypt, from where they would be
able to monitor security at the crossing point at
first hand?

 

2. Does the Council not believe that basing the
mission on Palestinian or Egyptian soil would be a
better way to fulfil the security role of the Head of
Mission and the Chief Security Officer as described in
Article 12 of the Council Joint Action on establishing
a European Union Border Assistance Mission for the
Rafah Crossing Point and in Article IV(4) of the
Agreed Arrangement on the EU-BAM?

 

3. What will the Council do to carry out its tasks as
a third party and keep the Rafah Crossing Point open,
thus enabling the Gaza Palestinians to move and do
business freely?


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