U.S. officials say Secretary of State Antony Blinken is considering a post-war plan for Gaza based on ideas developed by Israel and the United Arab Emirates. However, officials say the plan “would be presented after the presidential election.”
Axios reports that “several officials in the White House and State Department are concerned the plan would marginalize Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his government, which is what Israel and the UAE are pushing for in the immediate term.”
Axios spoke to one dozen U.S., Israeli, Palestinian and Emirati officials with knowledge of the issue. They say with no deal in sight to release the hostages held by Hamas and establish a ceasefire in Gaza, presenting a “day-after” plan could be a potentially positive part of the Biden administration’s legacy surrounding the conflict.
“Some in the State Department, including Blinken, think a hostage and ceasefire deal doesn’t seem possible before the end of the Biden administration, and therefore the Israeli-Emirati plan is a possible ‘Plan B’ that could start drawing a path out of the war” adds Axios.
Reportedly other officials inside the State Department say it is an ill-advised concept that only serves Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s interests and is bound to be rejected by the Palestinians and fail.
Axios continues:
According to U.S. officials, the plan has become a highly contentious issue inside the State Department. It is a source of fierce internal fighting and debate between Blinken’s advisers and, in some cases, between the Secretary of State himself and some of the most senior U.S. diplomats.
U.S. officials say one of the main supporters of the Israeli-Emirati plan is Jaime Rubin, who has been serving as Blinken’s adviser. In recent months, Rubin has been working on the Gaza day-after issue for Blinken and travelled with him to Israel in August, the officials said.
“The White House doesn’t like him and many people in the State Department who deal with this issue don’t take him seriously, but he is a voice on this and he is close to Blinken,” a U.S. official told Axios.
Rubin declined to comment for this story. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller also declined to comment.
A senior Palestinian Authority official told Axios the Palestinian Authority is highly suspicious of the Israeli-Emirati plan and stressed he doesn’t believe it could get support in the region.
“Playing with Gaza governance is too dangerous. Any mistake could kill the Palestinian national project,” he said, adding that any Palestinian figure who would be in charge of Gaza independence.
Continue Reading: Axios
