The Palestinians took control of a border for the first time with the festive opening today of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt – a milestone on their rocky path to independence and a rare moment of joy for fenced-in Gazans.

The Gaza-Egypt border opened with a festive ribbon-cutting today – a milestone for the Palestinians who for the first time took control of a border crossing without Israeli veto powers and gained some freedom of movement.

A European Union official today said that the initial 20-person delegation of EU monitors for the Gaza-Egypt border crossing would be at their posts and operating for tomorrow’s historic opening.

The European Union today agreed to monitor a Gaza-Egypt border crossing that serves as the main gate to the world for Palestinians in the coastal strip as an EU delegation toured the area.

A PEACE conference between the Israelis and Palestinians, organised by Glencree, was postponed yesterday after the Israelis refused to let one of the Palestinian delegation travel to Ireland.