Mofaz hopes for Rafah checkpoint deal

[Behind the Aegis]

EU to have 'active' monitoring role at Rafah
The EU has accepted in principle Israel's demand that the third-party to be stationed at the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt have "enforceable authority," Minister Haim Ramon said Tuesday.

Ramon met Tuesday with
EU officials working with Israeli and Palestinian officials trying to define the role of the Rafah monitor team.

One official close to the negotiations said that the parties are likely to "wrap things up" at a meeting Wednesday night between Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, PA Civil Affairs Minister Muhammad Dahlan and Quartet disengagement envoy James Wolfensohn.

Last week differences emerged between Israel and the EU's vision of the third-party role, with Israel saying it envisioned a "hands-on" role for the EU at the site, and EU officials saying that they were not going to be border guards and customs officials in place of the Palestinians.

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