Arab states urge Israel and US to let Palestinian Authority oversee Gaza recovery
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Arab diplomats fear political vacuum and say PA should work in conjunction with UN relief agency Unrwa. Israel and the incoming Trump administration are being urged by Arab states to avoid a dangerous political vacuum in Gaza and allow the Palestinian Authority, in conjunction with the UN Palestinian relief agency Unrwa, to oversee the territory’s recovery.
The future governance of Gaza is due to be discussed at the start of negotiations on the second stage of the deal 16 days after a ceasefire begins. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has however refused to broach the subject since the war began, regarding any discussions on the “day after” as likely to open destabilising internal political divisions inside his coalition.
The Israeli government is also due to end all cooperation with Unrwa on 30 January, raising questions over how the planned post-ceasefire surge in aid could be distributed within Gaza. Arab states, with the support of most European powers, insist there is no alternative organisation with the breadth and organisation of Unrwa that is capable of overseeing the urgent distribution of food and supplies.
The outgoing Biden administration’s view of how Gaza could be administered was finally aired this week in a farewell speech from the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, a delay that has left Arab states frustrated. Blinken said the goal is to “allow Israel to fully withdraw from Gaza, prevent Hamas from pulling back in and provide for Gaza’s governance, security and reconstruction” and outlined a plan centred on a UN-mandated interim administration comprised of “Palestinians from Gaza and representatives from the PA” to run key services such as banking, water, energy and health that would hand over to a fully reformed PA administration as soon as feasible.
