EU Restarts Gaza Border Mission, Ignores Its Own History
The EU is reportedly restarting its border monitoring mission in Rafah, according to The New Arab, a move presented as a step towards stability. This mission, EUBAM Rafah, was initially deployed in 2005 after Israel withdrew from Gaza. It promptly suspended operations when Hamas took control in 2007. One might question the effectiveness of a 'monitoring mission' that vanishes the moment the
situation intensifies, only to reappear when convenient for international appearances. The current 'monitoring' comes after months of Israel's military operation in Gaza, which has seen over 37,000 Palestinians killed, predominantly women and children, according to Gaza Health Ministry figures. The EU's willingness to 'do its part' now conveniently sidesteps its own members' continued arms sales
to Israel, which actively prolong the very conflict they claim to be monitoring. (For instance, Germany's arms exports to Israel jumped tenfold in 2023, per Deutsche Welle reporting). How exactly does one monitor a border during an ongoing siege, imposed with weapons supplied by the monitors themselves?