European Union foreign ministers will discuss next week a proposal for the bloc to take the lead in training 3,000 Palestinian police officers with the aim of later deploying them in Gaza, according to a document seen by Reuters on Friday.
A Palestinian police officer © Mena Today
European Union foreign ministers will discuss next week a proposal for the bloc to take the lead in training 3,000 Palestinian police officers with the aim of later deploying them in Gaza, according to a document seen by Reuters on Friday.
In a paper produced by the bloc’s diplomatic arm ahead of the gathering of ministers on November 20, officials outlined options for contributing to the implementation of a 20-point plan for Gaza proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas agreed in October to the first phase of the blueprint, but the implementation of further parts of the deal remains highly uncertain.
In the document, the European External Action Service outlined proposals to expand the bloc’s two civilian missions in the region, which focus on border assistance and supporting the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) policing and justice reforms.
The EU’s police support mission could “take leadership in training the Palestinian police force in Gaza by providing direct training and support to approx. 3,000 Palestinian police officers (on the PA pay-roll) from Gaza, with a view to training the full 13,000 Palestinian police force,” it said.
The paper also raises the idea of expanding the EU’s civilian border monitoring mission in Rafah to other border crossing points.
But prospects for the EU moving ahead with these initiatives are unclear.
Russia on Thursday proposed its own draft of a U.N. resolution on Gaza in a challenge to a U.S. effort to pass its own text that would endorse President Trump's plan.
By Lili Bayer
Lebanon's embassy in Washington said in a statement on Monday that Hezbollah had accepted a U.S. proposal for a mutual cessation of hostilities that would be extended to encompass all Lebanese territory.
Israel's defence ministry said on Monday France had banned Israeli government officials from a major weapons show in Paris, and had imposed restrictions on companies from the country exhibiting there.
Lebanese Justice Minister Adel Nassar has launched a pointed attack on Hezbollah, accusing the Iran-backed group of undermining Lebanon's ability to conduct meaningful negotiations with Israel and dragging the country into wars its people never chose.
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