UAE, US Plan To Oversee Gaza Governance After Israel Withdraws, Emphasis On Reformed Palestinian Authority

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has initiated discussions with Israel and the United States (US) on the possibility of participating in a provisional administration of Gaza after the war, according to sources familiar with the matter. 

The proposed plan envisions the UAE, the US, and potentially other nations overseeing governance, security, and reconstruction in Gaza until a reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) is equipped to take over. These talks, reported by Reuters, involve behind-the-scenes deliberations among diplomats and Western officials.

The discussions aim to address the volatile situation in Gaza following the anticipated withdrawal of Israeli military forces. While no formal written plan or consensus has been reached, the UAE has emphasised the necessity of empowering a reformed PA to govern Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem under a roadmap toward an independent Palestinian state.

"The UAE will not participate in any plan that fails to include significant reform of the Palestinian Authority, its empowerment, and the establishment of a credible roadmap toward a Palestinian state," a UAE official told Reuters.

The Palestinian Authority, established under the 1993-1995 Oslo Accords, was initially granted limited authority over the West Bank and Gaza. However, the UAE’s stance highlights the urgent need for structural reforms within the PA to make it capable of effective governance across Palestinian territories.

Sources revealed that Emirati officials also proposed the potential involvement of private military contractors as part of a peacekeeping force in Gaza during the transitional phase. 

This suggestion, while aimed at stabilising the region, raises concerns among Western nations due to controversies associated with private military contractors, including accusations of human rights abuses in previous deployments by global governments.

The UAE’s position as a unique security partner of the US and one of the few Arab nations maintaining diplomatic ties with Israel places it in a significant mediating role. 

However, the lack of detailed plans and Israel’s opposition to certain aspects of the UAE's advocacy, such as a unified Palestinian state governing Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, underscore the complexities of the situation.