US And Israel Weigh Peacekeepers For Gaza Strip After Hamas
- 1.11.2023, 13:14
Ideally, it would also include representation from Arab nations.
The US and Israel are exploring options for the future of the Gaza Strip, including the possibility of a multinational force that may involve American troops if Israeli forces succeed in ousting Hamas, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.
According to the informed sources, one option would grant temporary oversight to Gaza to countries from the region, backed by troops from the US, UK, Germany and France. Ideally, it would also include representation from Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, the people said.
The sources underscored that the conversations are still at an early stage and much could change. Some US officials consider the options premature or unlikely. Biden believes that putting even a small contingent of American troops in harm’s way could prove politically risky, according to a person familiar with his thinking, who added that the US isn’t close to making such a decision. It’s also not yet clear whether Arab states might be interested in participating, another person said.
A second option is a peacekeeping force modeled on the Multinational Force and Observers group that operates on and around the Sinai peninsula, enforcing the terms of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. Israel believes that this idea is worthy of consideration, according to a person familiar with the situation.
A third option would be temporary governance of the strip under a United Nations umbrella. This would have the advantage of the legitimacy bestowed by the UN, but Israel views it as impractical, according to a person familiar with Israel’s thinking, who added that Israel believes that little good has come from the world body.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Senate on Tuesday that the administration was considering various options for the future of Gaza. “We can’t have a reversion to the status quo with Hamas running Gaza. We also can’t have — and the Israelis start with this proposition themselves — Israel running or controlling Gaza.”
Ophir Falk, a foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said that the prerequisite for all options is that Hamas be destroyed, and once Hamas is destroyed, all the options discussed are based on the premise that Gaza be demilitarized.