An Emirates cargo plane is loaded with aid for the Palestinian Gaza Strip at the airport in Dubai before flying to the Egypt-Gaza border city of el-Arish, in Egypt’s north Sinai Peninsula on October 17, 2023 [Getty]
The Palestinian Authority cannot accept any Emirati involvement in Gaza’s governance after the current conflict, a high-ranking Palestinian official has told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab’s Arabic edition.
“The Emirati plan reached us through American channels, and we rejected it through those same channels,” said the official, who requested anonymity,
This position was conveyed directly to the U.S. in a recent meeting between Hussein al-Sheikh, Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Barbara Leaf.
Leaf had requested a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas before her visit to Ramallah, but Abbas declined after learning she had no new proposals. Al-Sheikh instead communicated Abbas’s rejection of the Emirati plan.
“We informed the U.S. that the alternative to the Emirati plan is the unity of Palestinian territories—the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem—under a single political, geographical, and legal sovereignty, with the PLO as the sole legitimate representative,” saidthe official. “The Palestinian government should exercise its full authority over Gaza as it does in the West Bank, and any issues concerning Gaza post-war are purely Palestinian internal matters.”
The official said that the Emirati plan included stipulations perceived as interference in Palestinian affairs, portraying the Palestinian Authority (PA) as “corrupt and lacking credibility” to the international community.
Among the plan’s conditions are demands for PA reforms, emphasizing “transparency and accountability to restore credibility and trust between the Palestinian people and international partners.”
The plan also calls for the appointment of a new prime minister and the creation of a “Gaza Committee” by presidential decree.
The proposal outlines the deployment of Arab security forces, including “contracted military personnel,” with no initial Palestinian role in Gaza’s security.
The Emirati Plan for Gaza’s ‘Day After’
The New Arab’s Arabic edition has obtained a copy of the UAE plan, summarised below
Objectives and Priorities
- Address the humanitarian crisis: Provide coordinated aid and initiate reconstruction in Gaza.
- Establish law and order: Lay the groundwork for governance.
- Prepare for reunification: Pave the way for eventual reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under the PA’s sole authority.
Conditions
- The PA must undergo reforms, demonstrate transparency, and rebuild trust with Palestinians and international partners. Recognition of the PA as the legitimate governing authority in Gaza would depend on these reforms, including appointing a new prime minister and establishing a “Gaza Committee” by presidential decree.
- The plan relies on Israeli concessions and progress toward a two-state solution.
Plan components
- Deployment of an International Interim Mission: Upon request from the PA, an international mission would be deployed to replace the Israeli military presence in Gaza.
- Security oversight: This mission would be responsible for stabilizing Gaza and enforcing law and order.
- Inclusion of Arab forces: Personnel from Arab countries, including contracted military staff, might join the mission.
- No initial Palestinian role in security: Palestinian involvement in security would not occur at the outset.
Interim Steering Committee
The committee, comprising the UAE, the U.S., and other regional stakeholders, would oversee the plan’s implementation, coordinate international funding, monitor PA reforms, and supervise Gaza’s reconstruction and security operations.
Gaza Committee
- Composition: The committee would consist of vetted Palestinian members approved by the Steering Committee and Israel.
- Role: Responsible for day-to-day administration in Gaza, economic rehabilitation, social services, and state-building. The PA presence in Gaza would gradually increase.
- Staffing: Former PA civil servants and vetted former Hamas civil employees would fill committee roles, contingent on approval by the Steering Committee and Israel.
Compliance with existing agreements
The plan does not seek a new agreement with Israel but aims to ensure compliance with current security and economic arrangements, such as the Paris Protocol.
Gaza reconstruction
The PA would oversee Gaza’s reconstruction, backed by financial support from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other international donors. Efforts would focus on rebuilding infrastructure, restoring essential services, and re-establishing PA institutions.
Palestinian eeconciliation
The plan envisions dialogue between Fatah and Hamas to achieve consensus and ensure Hamas’s acceptance of the Committee and the international mission.
Initial steps timeline
- Presidential decree: Issue a decree to form a new PA government and establish the Gaza Committee.
- Appointment of a new Prime Minister: Appoint a prime minister, possibly Salam Fayyad, to oversee both Gaza and the West Bank and lead the Gaza Committee.
- Formation of a technocratic government: Establish a government to carry out PA reforms.
- Request for an international mission: The PA requests an international interim mission.
- Commencement of Gaza reconstruction: Backed by international donors, a reformed PA begins reconstruction efforts, focusing on infrastructure and essential services to restore its authority in Gaza.
- Long-Term stabilization: Through governance and security reforms, a reformed PA would work to reestablish political credibility in Gaza, gradually diminishing Hamas’s influence over time
