UAE, US and Israel held secret meeting to discuss postwar Gaza plan

Israel, the US and the UAE held a secret meeting in Abu Dhabi last Thursday to discuss plans for postwar Gaza, according to a report on Tuesday.

According to the report by Axios, which cited two Israeli officials, the discussions were hosted by UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed and were attended by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, US President Joe Biden’s MENA envoy Brett McGurk and State Department counsellor Tom Sullivan.

Axios reports that a day before US, Emirati, and Israeli officials met, a senior Emirati official indicated that Abu Dhabi is willing to contribute troops to a post-war peacekeeping force in Gaza. This makes the UAE the first Arab country to publicly support the plan being discreetly promoted by the Biden administration.

Lana Nusseibeh, special envoy for Abdullah bin Zayed, wrote an op-ed in the Financial Times advocating for a “temporary international mission” in Gaza.

She called for this mission to address the humanitarian crisis, establish law and order, lay the groundwork for functional governance, and pave the way for reuniting Gaza and the occupied West Bank under a single, legitimate Palestinian Authority.

Axios further reports that the international force could only enter Gaza at the formal invitation of the Palestinian Authority.

The plan does not mention what role Israel would play alongside the proposed international force, but it was made clear the US would play a significant role, according to Axios' sources.

The UAE is known for its strong opposition to Hamas, which currently rules the Gaza Strip and is still engaged in combat operations against Israel. However, the Gulf state also has strong reservations about the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority in its current form, with Bin  Zayed allegedly referring to them as “Ali Baba and the 40 thieves” during a meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

It is notable that no Palestinian representatives were involved in the meeting and it is doubtful whether the multinational force will have legitimacy among the Palestinian population, who have been subjected to unimaginable suffering during the Israeli bombardment and invasion of the Gaza Strip.