Günther Freisleben, the new head of the European Union border assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point, EU BAM Rafah. (Photo courtesy of EUPOL COPPS.)

RAMALLAH, December 9, 2017 (WAFA) – The European Union‘s Political and Security Committee has appointed Günther Freisleben, a high-ranking police official serving in the Baden-Wuerttemberg police, as new Head of the European Union border assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point, EU BAM Rafah, a press release said on Friday.

EU BAM Rafah is mandated to provide a third party presence at the Rafah crossing point with Egypt to contribute to building confidence between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, including through building up the Palestinian capacity on all aspects of border management at Rafah, said the release by the EUPOL COPPS, an EU group that provides assistance to the Palestinian police.

The mission maintains readiness to redeploy to the Rafah Crossing Point once the political and security situation allows, it said. The mission‘s current mandate runs until 30 June 2018 and the mission‘s budget for the period between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2018 amounts to €1.98 million.

Rafah border terminal with Egypt, the main exit point for Gaza’s two million people, has been closed most of the time since the Hamas takeover of the Strip in 2007. Hamas agreed to turn over control of the crossing to the Palestinian Authority following the signing of the reconciliation agreement between them on October 12.

M.K.