Recent reports that the US is drafting a resolution at the UN that seeks Security Council backing for an international force in Gaza reveal that much about this critical project remains unclear. Given the importance of stabilising the enclave and protecting its people, such a lack of clarity must not linger long.
Speaking in the Qatari capital Doha yesterday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stated that this potential force must have Security Council approval. Without international consensus, there is a risk of repeating past mistakes. The violent recklessness displayed by the American and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation during its aid delivery efforts earlier this year is a case in point.
Ambiguity can be a useful quality in political negotiations. Still, there is no room for it when it comes to something as complex as establishing an international armed force in a highly volatile situation such as Gaza. Ceasefire monitoring, civilian protection and demining are just some of the important areas where peacekeepers can make a real difference – but this taskforce must have a Security Council mandate that is crystal clear about its role and responsibilities. Such clarity would improve a stabilisation mission’s chances of success.
Just as important to this success, however, is securing the consent and support of Gaza’s long-suffering people. If it were perceived that foreign troops are an enforcement squad there primarily to fulfil others’ security agendas, the potential for disaster rises.
The best way to prevent such a scenario is by ensuring Palestinians have an active role in shaping the peace. There are reported suggestions that the foreign taskforce will help train and work with Palestinian police. If true, this would be a good step and one that would be in line with previous Jordanian and Egyptian efforts to train Palestinian security forces.
Overall, the challenge of stabilising post-conflict Gaza is immense. Increased amounts of aid have not instantly resolved a profound humanitarian crisis. The territory is bombed flat, full of unexploded ordnance and its lack of a functioning power grid makes running even basic communications difficult. The presence of myriad armed groups and occupying Israeli soldiers only add to the danger.
Given the potential for trouble, a stabilisation force in Gaza might not resemble the blue-helmet UN missions seen for decades in Lebanon and elsewhere. Richard Gowan, UN director at the International Crisis Group, told The National that “even UN humanitarian workers have said privately it will be necessary to use force to ensure stability”. This makes clarity of mission even more indispensable if the taskforce is not to become regarded as yet more armed interlopers.
For now, many details remain scarce and there is no easy path through these issues. Nevertheless, with the right planning and the backing of the international community, it is possible to mitigate at least some of the security, logistical and political risks inherent in sending foreign troops to Gaza. The ceasefire must hold and the next phases of the peace plan enacted. A robust international contingent that operates with clear path for Palestinian self-governance has a unique part to play in making that happen.
