Germany proposed to the UN to take control of Gaza after the end of the conflict

Germany has proposed that the United Nations (UN) take over the administration of the Gaza Strip after the end of the war between Israel and Hamas. About it reports Politico with a link to a document in the possession of the publication.

According to Politico, Palestinians and some EU diplomats have serious doubts about the feasibility of this idea. One senior Palestinian figure in Europe called it “unacceptable.”

The German proposal is a two-page non-official document dated October 21st. It was compiled before Israel’s decision to begin the second phase of the operation in Gaza. The document states that “Israel’s goal is our common goal: never again should Hamas be able to terrorize Israel and its citizens.” But at the same time, “it is clear that these goals are difficult to achieve through military means alone… His radical ideology and agenda cannot be fought through military means.”

The document presents five different scenarios for the future of the Gaza Strip, including the reoccupation of Gaza by Israel and the establishment of control over it by the Palestinian Authority or Egypt.

The UN scenario is also included in the list. According to Berlin, this scenario means “the internationalization of Gaza under the auspices of the UN (and regional partners)” with a “carefully orchestrated transition” to Palestinian self-rule, “ideally” through elections “and combined with an international coalition providing the necessary security.” The document describes this scenario as one that “could offer a political perspective, since neither the Palestinian Authority nor Egypt is willing or able to take responsibility, and a return to the previous status or re-occupation by Israel is politically undesirable.”

Germany also warned that “this scenario would require significant investment of political capital and funding, as well as the creation of an international coalition to engage in security issues alongside the UN.”

In an interview with ABC on November 7, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that the Israeli army would “take responsibility for security” in the Gaza Strip for an “indefinite period of time,” which would effectively mean occupying the territory. On November 10, Netanyahu said that Tel Aviv was not talking about any prolonged occupation of the Gaza Strip: “On the contrary, we are interested in creating a new framework in which the Gazans can independently govern the territory,” the Israeli prime minister said. At the same time, he repeated the thesis that Israel will have “full control over the security sector” and will “demilitarize” the sector.

On the same day, The New York Times, citing senior Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh, reported that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is ready to take responsibility for the Gaza Strip if the United States promotes the implementation of the concept of coexistence of two states – Israel and Palestine, and with the inclusion of Gaza and East Jerusalem in the latter. On November 14, Netanyahu opposed the transfer of the Gaza Strip to the control of the PNA after the completion of the military operation against the Hamas movement. The politician considers the PNA incapable of governing the enclave.