By JERUSALEM POST STAFFThe European Union said Saturday that 1,587 people crossed the Rafah border post during its first full day of operations under Palestinian control.
"We are extremely happy," said Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
"It has gone very smoothly" at the Rafah crossing that is supervised by EU monitors under a deal with Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Gallach added. "We are extremely pleased that the day has gone so well."
Saturday was the first full day of Palestinian control over the Rafah terminal and those who passed through it did so for the first time in nearly four decades without having to submit to Israeli security checks.