JERUSALEM, Nov. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- The Israeli cabinet on Sunday postponed a vote to approve the reopening of Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border due to disagreement over the role of the European Union (EU), local newspaper Ha'aretz reported.

    The cabinet decided to put off the vote after the EU refused Israel's demand that the EU monitors arrest anyone suspected of smuggling arms from Egypt to Gaza, said the report, citing a political source.

    "Israel wants the EU to have powers of arrests should its inspectors encounter a terrorist at the crossing, while the EU wants to limits its role to oversight and reporting only," said the source.

    Israel's security cabinet approved an agreement last week with Egypt to re-open Rafah crossing under the supervision of the EU, a major step toward the reopening of the crossing.

    Rafah crossing, the only exit for Gazans to the outside world,was shut down for security reasons shortly before Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in mid-September.

    Israel has been under US pressure to open up Gaza's frontiers to facilitate easier travel for Palestinians, which will in turn help revive economy in the coastal strip.

    Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said earlier that Israel was trying to advance the reopening of the crossing.During his visit to the United States over the weekend, Mofazsaid if procedures at the crossing were agreed upon in the upcoming two weeks, the crossing would be reopened soon. Enditem