ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates is not planning to join the international stabilization force for Gaza because it lacks a clear framework, a senior official said on Monday. &quot;The UAE does not yet see a clear framework for the stability force, and under such circumstances will probably not participate in such a force,&quot; Emirati presidential advisor Anwar Gargash told the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate forum. The US-coordinated international force has been seen as likely to include troops from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, as well as the UAE. Last week, US President Donald Trump said he expected the force to be in Gaza &quot;very soon&quot;, as a fragile ceasefire holds following two years of war. The oil-rich UAE is one of the few Arab nations with official ties to Israel after signing the Abraham Accords during Trump&#39;s first term in 2020.

Middle East

Emirati presidential advisor Anwar Gargash says the UAE does not yet see a clear framework for the stability force, and under such circumstances will probably not participate in such a force.

UAE 'probably' won't join Gaza stabilization force: senior official

MANAMA:&nbsp;Jordan and Germany said on Saturday that an international force expected to support a future Palestinian police in Gaza under US President Donald Trump&#39;s post-war governance plan should have a UN mandate. Under the US-brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, a coalition of mainly Arab and Muslim nations is expected to deploy forces in the Palestinian territory, which has been devastated by the war. &lsquo;Security Council mandate&rsquo;The so-called international stabilization force is supposed to train and support vetted Palestinian police in the Strip, with backing from Egypt and Jordan, as well as secure border areas and prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas. &quot;We all agree that in order for that stabilization force to be able to be effective in getting the job done, it has to have a Security Council mandate,&quot; Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said. Jordan, however, will not be sending its own forces to the Strip. &quot;We&#39;re too close to the issue and we cannot deploy troops in Gaza,&quot; Safadi said, adding his country was nonetheless ready to cooperate with the international force. &lsquo;Clear basis in international law&rsquo;Safadi was speaking at the IISS Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain alongside his German counterpart Johann Wadephul, who also supported a UN mandate for the force, saying it would &quot;need a clear basis in international law&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;We understand that this is of utmost importance to those countries who might be willing to send troops to Gaza and for the Palestinians. Germany would also want to see a clear mandate for this mission,&quot; Wadephul said. &lsquo;a US-led occupation&rsquo;&nbsp;The idea of the stabilization force has drawn some criticism, with UN experts last month warning it would &quot;replace Israeli occupation with a US-led occupation, contrary to Palestinian self-determination&quot;. The UN has mandated international peacekeeping forces in the region for decades, including UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, which is currently working with the Lebanese army to enforce a November 2024 ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.

The idea of the stabilization force has drawn some criticism, with UN experts last month warning it would 'replace Israeli occupation with a US-led occupation, contrary to Palestinian self-determination'.

Articles tagged with "International Stabilization Force"

UAE 'probably' won't join Gaza stabilization force: senior official

Jordan, Germany say international force in Gaza needs UN mandate