In a pivotal move signaling increased Arab involvement in Middle Eastern peacekeeping, a senior Emirati official, Lana Nusseibeh, has announced the United Arab Emirates’ willingness to contribute troops to a post-war peacekeeping mission in Gaza. 

This announcement marks the UAE as the first Arab nation to publicly support the initiative led by the Biden Administration aimed at stabilizing the region after prolonged conflict.

Nusseibeh, the UAE’s Special Envoy and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, outlined in an op-ed for the Financial Times the vision for a “temporary international mission” in Gaza. 

This mission aims to address the humanitarian crisis, establish law and order, and pave the way for reunifying Gaza with the West Bank under a single, legitimate Palestinian Authority (PA).

The proposal comes at a crucial time as the US seeks to reinstall the PA as the ruling authority in Gaza, emphasizing the need for a reformed PA and a roadmap towards a unified Palestinian government. 

This effort faces challenges, particularly from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, which opposes frameworks leading to a two-state solution.