(Adds Hamas comment, paragraphs 4-5)

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

RAFAH, Gaza Strip, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas won European and Arab backing on Monday for taking control of Gaza's breached border with Egypt, intensifying his power struggle with the Hamas Islamists who rule the enclave.

The Rafah border crossing with Egypt has largely been closed since June after Hamas seized control of the territory and the European Union pulled its monitors out of the Gaza Strip. The EU said on Monday it would consider returning them to the crossing.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit endorsed Abbas's proposal to deploy his own, Western-trained forces at the crossing along with the EU monitors, though the presence of neither force was imminent, given Hamas's command on the ground.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu-Zuhri reacted angrily to Cairo's endorsement of Abbas's proposal, calling it an "Israeli-led international conspiracy with the participation of some regional parties," which would exclude them from controlling the border.

"We tell all parties that we will not allow the return of old conditions at the crossing," Abu-Zuhri said.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians poured into Egypt after Hamas militants blew up the border wall to allow the territory's 1.5 million people to stock up on food in short supply due to a blockade, which Israel said was tightened in response to cross border rocket attacks.

Hamas fighters cooperated with Egyptian forces on Monday to patch up the frontier barrier.

Gaza's border crossings have become the main battleground in a larger factional power struggle pitting Hamas against Abbas, whose authority has been limited to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, home to 2.5 million Palestinians.

"Of course they should give the border to Abbas. But where is he?" asked 28-year-old school teacher Ahmed Zaqtan as he returned to Gaza from the Egyptian side on Monday.

Before Hamas's takeover, EU monitors had been posted at Rafah under a deal with Egypt and Israel in 2005 that aimed to allay the Jewish state's concerns about arms and fighters coming into Gaza when it pulled out its own troops and settlers.

In a statement on Monday, EU foreign ministers said the bloc was "ready to consider resuming its monitoring mission in Rafah" under that deal -- provided Abbas, Egypt and Israel all approve.

At Rafah, traffic was back down to a trickle, partly due to Egypt's efforts to stem the flow of goods to the border area.

Egyptian and Hamas forces used concrete and fencing to close two gaps. Two other breaches in the frontier remain open, an entry and an exit, under joint Hamas and Egyptian guard.

CAIRO TALKS

A Hamas source said those openings could be closed on Wednesday provided talks in Cairo with Egyptian officials "prove positive" for Hamas by giving it a say on the border in future.

Salam Fayyad, prime minister of Abbas's West Bank-based government, countered that there was "no need for new arrangements" and cautioned Hamas against "interfering in a way that could obstruct the reopening of the border crossings".

Both Hamas leaders and Abbas are expected in Cairo on Wednesday. Egypt, the first Arab country to make peace with Israel, does not want to be seen as aiding the Israeli blockade. However, it also fears the spread of Islamist influence and the effects of hosting so many Palestinians without identity papers.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak put the onus on Egypt to close its border, adding: "The crossings on our side will remain closed except for the transfer of humanitarian items".

European diplomats said the EU, which like Israel shuns Hamas as a "terrorist" organisation, would only send monitors back to the border crossing at Rafah under the auspices of Abbas's Palestinian Authority, and provided there would be assurances they would not be at risk from Hamas.

It is unclear how EU security concerns can be addressed.

Israel's Foreign Ministry held preliminary talks over the weekend with members of the EU mission. While Israeli officials were considering Abbas's proposal for taking over the crossings, including Rafah, they doubted his forces were strong enough. (Additional reporting by Adam Entous and Ori Lewis in Jerusalem, Wafa Amr in Ramallah, Will Rasmussen in Rafah, Egypt and Aziz El-Kaissouni in Cairo; Writing by Adam Entous; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)

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