Senior Israeli Official: Gulf Arab States Will Administer Gaza

Israel expects a consortium of Gulf Arab states to administer Gaza, once the Israeli military has completely uprooted Hamas and the remaining Israeli hostages are returned home, according to a senior Israeli official. The latest thinking on postwar Gaza appears to have shifted away from President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the United States would control the strip of territory, though the new plan does not rule out a U.S. presence.

Nor does Israel have territorial designs on Gaza. It would like Palestinians who want to leave to be able to do so, but it would not object to Palestinians living in the territory, or returning after a temporary evacuation, the official said. Gaza would not be part of a Palestinian state, which Israel would not permit, given that the Palestinian leadership had not moved beyond the desire to use such a state to attempt to destroy Israel.

Rather, Gaza would be a kind of international territory whose administration would likely be led by friendly Arab countries. These were not specified, but would likely include the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The official expressed skepticism about any involvement by Qatar, which has not improved its relations with Israel despite acting as a mediator in hostage talks. Qatar is viewed as a force for radicalism in the region. (Source)