Washington seeks UN approval for Gaza security force

 

The US has circulated a draft resolution to members of the UN Security Council calling for the creation of an international security force in Gaza with a mandate lasting at least two years, the Axios news site reported Monday.

According to a copy obtained by Axios, the draft resolution, which was designated "sensitive but unclassified," would give the US and other participating countries a broad mandate to govern Gaza.

A US official told Axios that the draft resolution will be the basis for negotiations over the coming days between Council members, with the goal of voting to establish it in the coming weeks and deploying the first troops to Gaza by January.

The official added that the International Security Force (ISF) will be an "enforcement force and not a peacekeeping force," involving troops from several participating countries, and will be established in consultation with the Gaza "Board of Peace."

According to the draft resolution, the ISF would be tasked with securing Gaza's borders with Israel and Egypt, protecting civilians and humanitarian corridors, and training a new Palestinian police force, with which it is to partner in its mission.

The draft also calls for the Board of Peace to remain in place at least through the end of 2027, according to Axios.

The ISF would also "stabilize the security environment in Gaza by ensuring the process of demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding of military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, as well as the permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups," the draft said.

It said the ISF will take on "additional tasks as may be necessary" in support of the Gaza agreement.

Earlier Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that countries will decide on troop deployment depending on the wording of an expected UN Security Council resolution.

“What the countries we’ve spoken with have said is this: they will decide whether or not to send troops based on the content of the definition in the resolution expected from the UN Security Council,” Fidan told a news conference after hosting a meeting on Gaza in Istanbul attended by foreign ministers from Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jordan and representatives from the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Noting that discussions and various efforts are ongoing, Fidan said a key issue emphasized by countries is the establishment of a force whose mandate and legitimacy are defined within the framework of a Council resolution.

He underlined that in the process of defining the force’s mandate, first a general consensus must be reached on a draft, and then it must be approved by the UN Security Council without being vetoed by the council’s permanent members, adding that Türkiye and partner countries are continuing their efforts at every stage of the process.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said a decision on sending Pakistani troops for the Gaza peace force is not final.

"This thing has to be finalised [and] it is in process. The government will take a decision after passing through the process and I don't want to preempt it," Asif said while talking to a private news channel on Tuesday.

The defence minister said parliament would be taken onboard and all institutions would be informed about the move.

"If Muslim countries take a decision to participate in the peace force and Pakistan also has to take part, then it will be a moment of pride for the country to play a role in protecting Palestinians. This is an opportunity that Pakistan should avail if it is available to us," he added.