Watan-The American magazine “Politico” has published details of a U.S. plan that includes working on deploying peacekeeping forces in the Gaza Strip.
According to the magazine, officials in the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden are engaging in preliminary talks regarding available options for restoring stability in Gaza after the war.
Among these options is a proposal involving Pentagon assistance in funding a multinational force or a Palestinian peacekeeping team within the territory.
Will U.S. forces be deployed in Gaza?
Sources within the Department of Defense and two other officials stated that the proposed options would not involve deploying American soldiers on the ground.
However, the U.S. Department of Defense will work on covering the security force’s needs and complementing aid provided by other countries, according to the sources.
A senior official in the U.S. administration stated that they have conducted several discussions with Israelis and other partners regarding the key elements for initiating post-war arrangements within Gaza when the time is right.
According to the report, it may take weeks or months before Washington and its allies agree on any plans, especially as regional parties want to see a commitment to the two-state solution before seriously considering any proposed options.
There are also questions raised about the feasibility of training a potential Palestinian-led force to maintain order in Gaza, which has been devastated by five months of brutal warfare.
Regarding Israel’s stance, the magazine noted its reluctance to engage in these discussions before militarily defeating Hamas and securing the release of prisoners held by the movement.
An official from the U.S. Department of Defense stated, “Israel is the key player in the equation,” pointing out that it is preoccupied with other matters at present.
He added, “The situation would be different if the administration reached an agreement with the Israeli government to proceed, but that’s not the case.”
Serious discussions about the potential form of security forces
According to the four sources, discussions involved the White House, the Pentagon, and the State Department engaging with their foreign counterparts in discussing the potential form of security forces for the day after the war.
Ongoing discussions suggest that forming such forces remains a serious and viable option at some stage, according to the report.
Under the initial plans, the U.S. Department of Defense would provide funding for a form of security forces that would not include American soldiers on the ground in Gaza.
The two American officials stated that U.S. aid would complement contributions from other countries.
Regarding the potential Palestinian-led peacekeeping team, the identity of who will train and arm members of that team, which may include some security elements supported by the Palestinian Authority and number around 20,000 individuals, has yet to be determined, according to the report.