European Union Border Assistance Mission at Rafah Crossing Point (EU BAM Rafah)

A European Union border assistance mission for the Rafah crossing point (EU BAM Rafah) is recommended, with its operational phase starting on 25 November 2005.
The purpose of EU BAM Rafah is to provide a third-party presence at the Rafah crossing point in order to contribute, in cooperation with the Union’s institution-building efforts, to the opening of the Rafah crossing point and to build confidence between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
To this end, EU BAM Rafah:
a) actively monitors, verifies and evaluates the Palestinian Authority’s performance with regard to the implementation of the framework agreement, the security agreement and the customs agreement concluded between the parties concerning the operation of the Rafah terminal;
b) contributes, through mentoring, to building up Palestinian capacity in all aspects of border management at Rafah;
c) contributes to the liaison between the Palestinian, Israeli and Egyptian authorities in all aspects concerning the management of the Rafah crossing point.
d) assists EUPOL COPPS in its additional tasks regarding the training provided to Palestinian border management and crossing point personnel at Gaza crossing points.
EU BAM Rafah carries out the tasks assigned to it by the agreements between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority regarding the management of the Rafah crossing point. It does not undertake substitution tasks.
Historical Context:
In 2005, following Israel’s disengagement from Gaza, the Governments of the Palestinian Authority and the State of Israel concluded an Agreement on Movement and Access aimed at facilitating the free movement of people and goods within and out of the occupied Palestinian territories, including, inter alia, opening an international crossing point at the Gaza-Egypt land border. This was an important step in the negotiations for a lasting resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the “two-state solution” through negotiations.
At the request of the parties, the EU intervened as an honest broker to support capacity building at the Rafah Crossing Point, between Gaza and Egypt. EU BAM Rafah was one of the first civilian missions deployed under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).