A Northern Ireland police chief is to head up a new EU mission to strengthen security in the Palestinian territories, it was announced today.
Assistant Chief Constable Jonathan McIvor will take charge of a three-year operation to develop law enforcement in the region.
He has been working on plans for civil policing in Gaza and the West Bank for the last 18 months.
After his appointment was confirmed at EU headquarters in Brussels, Mr McIvor said it proved progress was being made both in the Middle East and within his own force.
"I consider it a great personal honour and a reflection of what has been achieved over the past 18 months in terms of building an effective and accountable policing service in Palestine.
"But I also believe it is a significant honour for and testimony to progressive and professional policing in Northern Ireland. "It is a privilege to have been asked to help with the development of policing in Palestine at this exciting and dynamic period of history in the Middle East."
Mr McIvor, a former officer in the Royal Green Jackets, served in the Metropolitan Police Service before transferring to the RUC.
After working in north Belfast, Co Fermanagh and heading the Police Training College at Garnerville, he took over as Commander Operational Support for the service's rural region.
He has dealt with the terrorist threat along the 250-mile land border with the Irish Republic and public order tensions around the Drumcree marching dispute. The Mission, code-named EU COPPS (European Union Co-ordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support), begins on January 1st, 2006.
It will strengthen the international community's efforts to support the Palestinian Authority in taking responsibility for law and order.
With the emphasis on improving the civil police and law enforcement capacity in the area, the EU's Political and Security Committee will exercise the political control and strategic direction of the mission.
PA