According to a report in the Financial Times, the United Arab Emirates has become the first country to express willingness to send ground forces to the Gaza Strip as part of an international stabilization mission after the war. Lana Nusayeva, a special envoy of the Emirati Foreign Ministry, said that her country would consider participating in the mission under certain conditions.
Nusayeva stressed: “The participation of the United Arab Emirates will only be possible at the invitation of the Palestinian Authority, after it undergoes reform or is led by a prime minister with expanded powers.” She added that Israel will consider the move only if the United States leads it and supports steps towards the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The United Arab Emirates, which normalized its relations with Israel in 2020, is holding talks about “the day after” with all the relevant parties in the region. The United States encourages Arab countries to participate in a multinational force in Gaza, but is not expected to send American forces to the Strip.
However, the idea met with opposition from Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu has consistently rejected any move towards the establishment of a Palestinian state and opposes any role of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, insisting that Israel maintain total security control in the region.
Nusayeva argued that “the alternative to the stabilization mission is to do more of the same, which will only lead to more violence, radicalism and suffering for Palestinians and Israelis alike.”
The United Arab Emirates is considered to have one of the most highly trained Arab armies, and already has a presence in Gaza, where it operates a field hospital and provides humanitarian aid. The Emirati proposal raises complex questions about the future of the Strip and emphasizes the need for long-term solutions to the conflict.
