United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon offered during a meeting of the Quartet in London several weeks ago to send a multinational force to the Gaza Strip, to assist the security forces answerable to Salam Fayyad's Palestinian Authority government to operate the Rafah, Karni and Sufa border crossings. That way, Ban explained, the border crossings could be opened continually and fully.What I want to know is how Ban will keep this multi-international force from hightailing it into Israel (just like the old EU Observer team did) every time Hamas decides the border should be a free fire zone? Even more to the point, has anyone sought out Hamas and asked if its wants a PA/International force manning their border checkpoints?
According to a senior Israeli political source, the plan known as "pockets of access to Gaza" originated with Fayyad, and was recently adopted by the UN chief, and presented to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and to senior Russian and European Union officials.
According to this plan, the multinational force sent to Gaza would operate in the "triangle" between the Rafah, Sufa, and Kerem Shalom crossings, and possibly also at the Karni crossing. The UN force would be headquartered in Egypt, and its troops would come to the crossings in Gaza daily.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
New Plan for the Gaza Strip
Sounds remarkably just like the old one. For this morning's uninspired idea of the day, I offer the following Ha'aretz report wherein UN Secretary General Ban suggests a multi-international force should police Gaza Strip borders:
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