Four American officials have told Politico that the administration of President Joe Biden is considering appointing an American official to be the chief civilian advisor of a predominantly Palestinian force when the war in the Gaza Strip concludes. This indicates that the United States plans to engage significantly in the security of a post-war agreement, according to the American site.
The sources informed the site that the civilian advisor will be based in the region and will work closely with the command of the force, which will be either Palestinian or from an Arab country. They added, "Washington is still discussing the official authority that this advisor will have, but all officials, who requested anonymity to discuss highly sensitive negotiation details, confirmed that this is part of a plan for the U.S. to play a 'prominent' role in lifting Gaza from desperate chaos," as stated by the well-known American site.
The sources continued, "The private discussions between the White House, Pentagon, and State Department regarding the advisor’s role—which have not been previously reported—indicate that the Biden administration expects to be at the center of what happens in Gaza long after the guns fall silent. Therefore, the U.S. will be partly responsible for what comes next, including improving the lives of 2.2 million Palestinians suffering in the devastated territories."
Officials confirmed that the advisor would never enter Gaza itself—indicating a desire to avoid any implication that the United States will dictate the region's future. Two officials mentioned that the advisor might be stationed in Sinai, while another noted they could be in Jordan. The suggestion of the advisor and peacekeeping force has been discussed within the administration for months.
According to Politico: "The U.S. is already a key player in the conflict, supporting the Israeli military campaign against Hamas while pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Now, during an intensive planning phase, the administration is working on bringing multiple partners from within the U.S. and abroad together around ideas to stabilize Gaza post-war—namely, maintaining security and avoiding a rebellion that could plunge the sector into further turmoil."
The four officials added that the advisor's plan is one of many scenarios proposed for "the day after," which includes other scenarios focused on developing Gaza's economy and rebuilding the destroyed cities. While many plans involve some sort of peacekeeping force, discussions are still heated regarding its formation and the powers it will be granted.
A senior administration official said, "We have discussed several different formulations for some sort of temporary security forces in Gaza, and we have talked with many partners about how the United States can support that." The officials noted that a ceasefire and the release of detainees must come first, which is tough given that negotiations between Israel and Hamas have stalled without any signs of resuming.
Another official mentioned that the Biden administration is trying to convince Arab countries like Egypt, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates to join the peacekeeping force, as regional countries continuously demand that the U.S. play a significant role in Gaza's post-war future, according to the official. Regarding what Arab countries want from the U.S., he said, "It would be easier to convince them to come if we are there playing a role, and we are prepared to play that role."
He pointed out that there is also a wide-ranging agreement between the U.S., Israel, and regional actors to help establish a Palestinian council that includes Palestinians from Gaza to serve as a temporary governing structure.
