Misleading Hamas statement on EUBAM

After I wrote an article yesterday about whether EUBAM will return to Rafah, JPost/Media Line reported:

Hamas doesn’t object to the reinstatement of European Union observers at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, a Hamas official told The Media Line.

"We don’t mind if the Europeans are involved as long as the Egyptian side agrees to this," Ahmad Yousef, a political adviser to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, told The Media Line on Sunday. "The only objection we have is to Israeli involvement. This is an agreement between Palestinians and the Egyptians," he added.

This is purposefully misleading.

The agreement that brought EUBAM to Rafah was between the PA, Israel and the EU. Egypt was not a signatory. The entire point was that the PA would be responsible for the border, the EU would observe and Israel would observe remotely via cameras.

Details here.

This is the agreement. If the PA acquiesces to Hamas demands, then the PA will be violating a signed agreement. Allowing Europeans to observe without allowing them any responsibility is a smokescreen.

(h/t T34)