European Union foreign affairs ministers on Thursday examined proposals to significantly expand the bloc’s policing and border-monitoring missions in Gaza, positioning the EU to play a central role in rebuilding security structures under a U.S.-backed peace plan.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc is preparing to help train an initial 3,000 Palestinian security officers, with the long-term goal of preparing all 13,000 personnel expected to be needed for Gaza’s future police force.
According to information obtained by dpa, the EU is considering using its West Bank-based police mission, Eupol Copps, to spearhead the creation of a new civilian police force for Gaza, which has been devastated by two years of Israel's genocidal attacks, including airstrikes and a ground offensive, which killed nearly 70,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
EU ministers discussed adjusting the mandates of existing missions to support an expanded role, Kallas said after the meeting in Brussels. In the short term, Eupol Copps would help rebuild judicial and security institutions in Gaza and organize training programs for Palestinian instructors at a police academy in Jericho co-funded by Germany.
Until now, Gaza’s civilian police operated under the control of Hamas. The planned new force is expected to coordinate closely with an international stabilization mission authorized by a U.N. Security Council resolution earlier this week.
Kallas stressed that Palestinians must lead the effort and take ownership of forming the new police force, but said the EU stands ready to “help them with the training of policemen.”
Arriving at the meeting, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said France is ready to send about 100 French officers to help train Palestinian security forces. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Palestinian police should “essentially be trained by neighboring countries” after Jordan and Egypt showed willingness to do so.
EU ministers also considered broadening the bloc’s border-monitoring mission for Gaza. According to dpa, the EU may eventually help process goods not only at the Rafah crossing but also at sites such as Kerem Shalom. As a first step, the mission is expected to resume facilitating the movement of people through Rafah once the crossing reopens.
France has been one of the strongest supporters of broader mandates. Barrot stressed the importance of humanitarian aid for Gaza and said France is ready to co-organize a reconstruction and aid conference with Egypt by the end of the year.
