UAE discusses possible role in post-war Gaza, but conditions lacking

UAE discusses possible role in post-war Gaza, but conditions lacking

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is in talks about a possible role in rebuilding the Gaza Strip after the war. A UAE official told CNN that the conditions for this have not yet been met.

Netanyahu and the role of the UAE

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has highlighted the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other countries as potential partners to help govern the territory after the war. However, the UAE has already stated that it does not want to be drawn into plans aimed at legitimizing the Israeli presence in the Gaza Strip.

Requirements for UAE participation

"Although there have been many informal discussions, the parties involved have not yet agreed on the UAE's preconditions for participation in any post-war effort in Gaza," the UAE official told CNN on Tuesday. This came in response to a report by the Reuters news agency that spoke of talks between the UAE, Israel and the US. These talks discussed the possibility of the UAE, US and other nations temporarily taking over Gaza's post-war governance, security and reconstruction.

Formal invitation and reforms

The UAE official noted that the UAE's prerequisites include a formal invitation of a new, credible and independent Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Furthermore, a serious reform process within the PA, a clear commitment by Israel to the two-state solution and clear leadership from the USA are required.

Corruption and leadership changes in the PA

The UAE has long pushed for reforms within the PA, which is widely seen as plagued by corruption, and has called for a change in leadership. Mohammed Mustafa was appointed PA prime minister in March, succeeding Mohammed Shtayyeh, who resigned in February.

Israel's position on the PA

However, Israeli officials have publicly rejected the possibility of the West Bank-based PA playing a role in postwar Gaza.

Private military companies and peacekeeping

Reuters also reported, citing diplomats and Western officials, that UAE officials had suggested private military contractors as part of a peacekeeping operation in Gaza. However, the UAE representative who spoke to CNN strongly denied this.

UAE and the normalization of relations with Israel

The UAE normalized its relations with Israel in 2020 under the so-called Abraham Accords and has maintained those ties throughout the Gaza war.

An earlier version of this report noted that the talks with the US and Israel were mentioned in the introduction. This has been corrected.