Jordan, Germany call for UN mandate on Gaza stabilisation force under US plan

Jordan and Germany said on November 1 that an international force expected to support a future Palestinian police in Gaza under US President Donald Trump’s post-war governance plan should operate with a United Nations mandate.

The proposal comes under a US-brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, under which a coalition of mainly Arab and Muslim nations is expected to deploy forces to Gaza to help train and support vetted Palestinian police units, secure border areas, and prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas. Egypt and Jordan are expected to back the effort, Caliber.Az reports per Arab media. 

“We all agree that in order for that stabilization force to be able to be effective in getting the job done, it has to have a Security Council mandate,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said at the IISS Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain.

Safadi made clear, however, that Jordan will not deploy its own troops to the Gaza Strip.

“We’re too close to the issue and we cannot deploy troops in Gaza,” he said, adding that Jordan was nonetheless prepared to cooperate with the international force.

Speaking alongside Safadi, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also backed the call for a UN mandate, stressing the need for a legal foundation for the mission.

“We understand that this is of utmost importance to those countries who might be willing to send troops to Gaza and for the Palestinians. Germany would also want to see a clear mandate for this mission,” Wadephul said.

The concept of a US-led stabilisation force has faced criticism from some UN experts, who warned last month that it could “replace Israeli occupation with a US-led occupation, contrary to Palestinian self-determination.”

The United Nations has long authorised peacekeeping missions in the region, including the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which currently works with the Lebanese army to enforce a November 2024 ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.

By Sabina Mammadli