The United States has reportedly proposed to the Arab world the dispatch of a multinational peacekeeping force that does not include US troops after the Gaza Strip war.
The Financial Times (FT) reported on the 15th, quoting authorities, that the Biden administration hopes the Arab world will fill the vacuum until a new post-war security regime is established in the Gaza Strip instead of US troops. This implies the Biden administration is reluctant to deploy US troops in the region. A Western official said, “Arab countries said it (the multinational peacekeeping force) should be led by the US, but the US is looking for a way to lead without bringing in US troops.” This official also said, “Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Morocco, among others, have had initial discussions, but they want the US to recognize a Palestinian state first.”
Other Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, have rejected the US plan. This is because it would be seen as colluding with Israel, which supports the concept of a multinational force, and there is a risk of becoming entangled in the complex situation in the Gaza Strip.
However, these countries are reportedly open to further discussions on the concept of a multinational force entering the Gaza Strip, recognizing that there is no alternative to the Israeli military’s presence there.
A key person involved in the issue explained, “The US is working for some momentum to establish a peacekeeping force, but its policy is firm that there will be no US troops on the ground (in the Gaza Strip), making it difficult (for the US) to assert this to other countries.” This person also said, “If there needs to be another way led by the US, it’s a long way off before we see an Arab peacekeeping force in the Gaza Strip.”
Israel’s position appears unclear as it continues military operations aimed at eradicating Hamas. According to the Financial Times, uncertainties such as the duration of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to keep Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip and whether far-right ministers will support his plan have put Western allies in an awkward position.
An Arab official also said that the US has proposed the idea of a peacekeeping force to Arab cooperating countries, but there are differences of opinion among Arab countries. “The bigger problem is that no one knows what the situation will be like right now,” he said.
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