Emirates proposes using military contractors from private companies to run Gaza
- Internal division in Palestinian politics
- Effects of the proposal
- Closed-door discussions
- The Palestinian National Authority
- Changes requested from the Palestinian National Authority
The United Arab Emirates is proposing to hire military personnel from private companies to work within a post-war peacekeeping force in Gaza, rather than managing power between the Fatah and Hamas movements when the war is over.
This idea shows Emirati officials' approach to the solution of quickly finding out who will rule Gaza: Hamas, President Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian National Authority, or both, within the formula of the recent Cairo agreements.
Internal division in Palestinian politics
The problems between Hamas and Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party are important for understanding the internal division in Palestinian politics. These two factions have ideological, political and strategic differences that have led to clashes.
Fatah, led by Mahmoud Abbas, is a Palestinian political-military organisation and promotes a diplomatic solution with Israel based on the creation of two states, while Hamas is an Islamist movement that has controlled Gaza since 2007 and rejects Israeli recognition and opts for armed resistance to liberate Palestine.
Conflicts between these factions escalated in 2006 when Hamas won legislative elections with an absolute majority, marking a drastic change in Palestinian politics, and in 2007 clashes between the two factions began, causing Hamas to expel Fatah from Gaza and take control of the region, with Fatah remaining in the West Bank.
Since 2011 there have been attempts at reconciliation between the two factions with the signing of agreements in Cairo (Egypt), Doha (Qatar) and elsewhere, with the aim of forming a unity government, which has not been possible due to disputes over control of Gaza and differences in the handling of security and civil service issues.
Effects of the proposal
This proposal, moreover, prioritises removing the remnants of the effects on infrastructure caused by the war, removing rubble, opening roads, returning displaced people to their villages or towns and ensuring the arrival of aid distribution to include all those in need, in the presence of security and military forces.
Experts believe that military supervision by private companies will achieve two important things. On the one hand, guaranteeing the full security of citizens thanks to the strength for which security companies are known, and blocking the way for factional conflicts to arise and for factions to monopolise power. And, on the other hand, to unify the party operating in the post-war phase and avoid outside intervention, which could lead to confusion in the UN-sponsored transition phase.
Reconstruction in Gaza, including the building of its political institutions, is expected to take years and be costly. Moreover, this will require significant international support for reconstruction, 15 months after Israel launched its military campaign.
Two former Israeli officials, who requested anonymity, stated that Israel wants the UAE to participate in the post-war phase in Gaza, despite its criticism of the Israeli army and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Informed sources also mentioned that the UAE is in discussions with Israel and the United States to participate in a temporary administration in the Gaza Strip after the war, until the reformed Palestinian Authority can assume responsibility.
Closed-door discussions
Foreign diplomats and Western officials told Reuters that the closed-door discussions have the potential for the United Arab Emirates and the United States, with other countries, to temporarily oversee governance, security and reconstruction in Gaza after the Israeli army withdraws and until the Palestinian administration can assume responsibility.
The UAE is a close security partner of the US and maintains diplomatic relations with Israel (it signed the Abraham Accords, promoted by the first Trump administration), unlike other Arab governments. This fact gives it some leverage over Netanyahu's government.
For its part, a US State Department spokesperson mentioned that there were discussions with several partners, including the UAE, on governance, security and reconstruction options, and that they presented several draft proposals, plans and ideas.
The sources also mentioned that the UAE is calling in the talks for reform of the Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem under an independent Palestinian state, which Israel openly opposes.
In addition, an Emirati official told Reuters his response to the discussions: ‘The UAE will not participate in any plan that does not include significant reform of the Palestinian National Authority, its empowerment and development of a credible roadmap towards the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The UAE is pushing for effective and comprehensive reform of the authority headed by Abbas to make it strong and able to deliver on its promises, as it said it will not participate with forces in a post-war multinational mission except at the invitation of the Palestinian National Authority and with the participation of the United States.
The Palestinian National Authority
The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) was recognised as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and advocated fighting Israel, initially in an armed manner. Finally, in 1988, the PLO declared the independence of the State of Palestine and began to seek a negotiated solution with Israel.
Thus, due to the Oslo Accords of 1993-1995, the Palestinian National Authority was established. These agreements were signed by Israel and the Palestinians, which resulted in them gaining limited authority over the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Authority was formed out of the results of the peace agreements between Israel and the PLO in the 1990s. The PLO was chaired by Yasser Arafat from 1994 until his death in 2004. He was succeeded in 2004 by Mahmoud Abbas, who is also a member of the Palestinian Fatah party.
Changes requested from the Palestinian National Authority
For his part, Netanyahu stated that he opposes the Palestinian National Authority governing the Gaza Strip in its current form, and attributed this to his long-held complaint about the school curricula developed by the Authority, saying they fuel hatred of Israel. Also, the Israeli prime minister attributed it to his policy of giving stipends to the families of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
The Emirati government, according to diplomats and officials, called for the appointment of a new prime minister to head the Palestinian National Authority, which Emirati officials have described and criticised as corruption and incompetence in private talks.
In doing so, Emirati officials, according to diplomats and officials, singled out former prime minister Salam Fayyad, a US-educated former World Bank official, as a reliable figure to lead the Palestinian Authority. Fayyad served as minister from 2007 to 2013, due to a dispute with the now president, Mahmoud Abbas.
In March, Muhammad Mustafa, the Palestinian prime minister, took office and pledged to implement reforms within the Authority, which has been suffering from a shortfall in its public finances for years after donor countries cut funding until corruption and waste were eliminated.
The Emirati government considers Hamas and other Islamist groups to be destabilising forces. Emirati officials have publicly expressed concern about the impact of the war on stability in the Middle East and efforts to promote regional integration and economic development.