Resolution may be delayed without agreement over the force’s mandate and a timetable for Israeli withdrawal
A UN security council resolution mandating the introduction of an international stabilisation force into Gaza is likely to be ready within two weeks, but may be delayed if disputes cannot be resolved over the force’s mandate, including the question of US military leadership, its relationship with the Palestinian civil police force and a timetable for Israeli military withdrawal.
At a meeting in Istanbul of Muslim countries considering offering troops on Monday, the Turkish foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, said: “The countries will shape their decisions based on the mission and authority of the International Stabilization Force. I believe that if the mission conflicts with the principles and policies of the countries that will send troops, it will be difficult for these countries to send troops.”
Other issues under discussion include a leadership role for the US, a deconfliction mechanism for disputes with Israel, and whether a timetable for Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza should be scheduled, or contingent on the disarmament of Hamas.
Fidan repeated that Turkey was willing to provide a troop contingent, something Israel has rejected because of Turkey’s support for Hamas.
The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, as well as representatives of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar. Egypt, often seen as a potential force leader, was absent.
Jordan has said that while it will not provide troops, it is prepared to train a vetted Palestinian police force that would be responsible for maintaining law and order in Gaza, but questions remain over the interaction between the two forces, and their respective responsibilities.
Meanwhile, continued violence in Gaza has raised fears for the fragile truce as 115 people were killed and 352 injured on Tuesday. It was the deadliest day in the territory since the ceasefire came into effect on 10 October.
At the weekend the German foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, said: “We really have to speed up. My fear is that we are running out of time. The ceasefire is good. That was very necessary. We needed a surge of humanitarian aid. But we really need to fill the vacuum within the Gaza Strip for security, for administration.”
Fidan complained that “Israel is regularly violating the ceasefire and preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid at the required level. We have now reached an extremely critical stage.”
One western diplomat said he did not detect any resistance to the US being in the lead in the stabilisation force without needing boots on the ground. He said: “I don’t think any of the countries will participate unless the Americans are heavily involved in a leadership role because otherwise people will think there is no constraint on the Israelis, frankly.”
Muslim leaders do not want their troops to be seen in a peace enforcement, as opposed to peace keeping, role, he said.
It is expected the stabilisation force will ultimately be run separately from the new US civil military coordination centre that focuses on humanitarian work.
The sources also suggested candidates to join a new committee of Palestinian technocrats to administer the territory had been selected, and were being vetted to ensure they are credible with civic society in Gaza.
On the disarmament of Hamas the diplomat said there was still a lot to be worked out. “The only Hamas stipulation is they are not going to disarm in circumstances where they are going to be get killed by the Israelis.”
The US has not agreed with Israel that Hamas is deliberately delaying the return of Israeli bodies, and it is expected that some will never be discovered in the rubble of Gaza.
Pressure for progress is growing among Arab states concerned about a security vacuum. The Jordanian foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, said: “It is imperative that we have a timeline for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel cannot stay in 53% of Gaza and then expect security to be achieved.”
Safadi said it was imperative to establish a deconfliction mechanism, adding: “You cannot have the International Stabilization Force doing the policing of the Palestinian community.”
He added the apolitical “technocratic commission somehow has to be linked to the Palestinian Authority because this was the means to ensure that Gaza remains part of the occupied Palestinian territory”.
Another western diplomat accepted that the failure to improve Palestinians’ lives since the ceasefire was deeply worrying, but denied there was a US plan to let Israel split Gaza. But they added: “Most people do not give this a huge chance of success to be honest, but things are moving along much better than anticipated.
“What Gazans want is an international element being in support of a Palestinian government in Gaza, rather than it being taken over by internationals. On the other hand without an international element around security and governance then the Israelis will never treat the thing seriously and therefore Gaza will never get the space and capacity to be rebuilt as people want.”