Morocco Ties Gaza Peacekeeping Role to US Recognition of Palestinian State

Beni Mellal – The United States is actively encouraging Arab states, including Morocco, to contribute troops to a multinational peacekeeping force that would be deployed in the Gaza Strip following the conclusion of the ongoing war on Gaza, converging reports have indicated. The proposed initiative aims to fill the security vacuum in the region until a credible Palestinian security apparatus can be established.

Western and Arab officials have stated that while Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Morocco are considering the US proposal, their participation is contingent upon the US formally recognizing a Palestinian state.

“Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco are reportedly considering a US proposal to provide troops for an international peacekeeping force to secure the Gaza Strip and prevent Hamas from regaining power there after the war ends,” the Times of Israel reported.

However, the Financial Times noted that these countries “would want the US to recognize a Palestinian state first.”

But not all Arab states are on board with the idea. According to The Financial Time, “other Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, have rejected the idea of deploying their forces, fearing they will be seen to be complicit with Israel.”

Still, these countries have become more receptive to the concept of an international force operating in Gaza, as the US and its allies struggle to find a viable alternative to Israeli troops remaining in the area.

The US faces challenges in garnering support for the plan, as President Joe Biden is unwilling to deploy American troops to Gaza. “The American policy is pretty firm that there will be no American troops on the ground, so it’s hard for them to make the argument that others should,” a person briefed on the discussions told the Financial Times.

Uncertainty surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s intentions for the conflict has further complicated the situation. The US and its allies are frustrated by the lack of clarity on issues such as the duration of Israeli troops’ presence in Gaza, who the Israeli government would accept as an administrator, and the length of Israel’s offensive.

Netanyahu has adamantly rebuked a two-state solution since October 7, when Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel, killed some 1,200 people, and took another 252 hostage, triggering the ongoing war on Gaza. The Israeli Prime Minister has argued that granting the Palestinians a state after the attack would amount to a “prize” for terrorism.

As reported by The Financial Times, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently denounced a suggestion by Netanyahu that Arab states could assist in managing Gaza after the war.

Sheikh Abdullah emphasized that the UAE would support a Palestinian government that meets the aspirations of the Palestinian people, including independence, but “refuses to be drawn into any plan aimed at providing cover for the Israeli presence in the Gaza strip.”