EU monitors may opt to leave Gaza crossing, Israel

JERUSALEM, Sep 5 (Reuters) European monitors could be withdrawn from the border between Gaza and Egypt later this year amid concerns about Israeli restrictions on performing their duties, European officials said today.

''We cannot continue like this,'' a European official said.

The Rafah border crossing has been closed for all but 7 days since an Israeli soldier was captured by Palestinian militants on a cross-border raid on June 25.

Israel responded to the raid by launching a major ground and air offensive that has killed more than 200 Palestinians in Gaza, about half of them civilians.

Western diplomats say Israel has prevented Rafah from opening by keeping European monitors from getting to the terminal, citing security concerns.

The European official said pulling the monitors out of Rafah was ''one of the options'' being looked at for when the current agreement for the crossing expires in November.

Other options include relocating the monitors, who have been based in southern Israel, to Egypt.

The European monitors oversee Rafah under an agreement which took effect on November 24, 2005 and was aimed at opening up Gaza after Israel withdrew settlers and soldiers from the strip last year after 38 years of occupation.

The European official said the one-year agreement could be extended, changed or cancelled.

Palestinians technically control the crossing but its operations can be blocked by Israel.

A US plan calls for deploying international monitors at Gaza's main Karni commercial crossing with Israel to ensure that gateway remains open. Israel has shut the crossing frequently this year because of what it says are threats from Palestinian militants.

The US proposal, submitted to donors early this month, includes the deployment of 90 foreign monitors and expanding the Karni crossing at a cost of some 19 million dollars.

REUTERS SHB KP2126