Middle East Eye reported on Dec. 2 that Israel’s opposition to Turkiye’s participation in the International Security Force for Gaza has put a damper on the enthusiasm of other countries to participate in it. “Without Turkiye’s participation, countries like Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Indonesia are not inclined to deploy troops,” one person familiar with the negotiations told MEE. The U.A.E., on the other hand, announced in November that it would not join the force “for now,” citing the lack of a clear framework.
MEE refers to the Israeli outlet i24NEWS reporting that the U.A.E. refused to join the Gaza force due to concerns over Qatari and Turkish influence, intimating that their involvement could empower groups linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. “There are elements belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood who are taking a central role in the plan to reconstruct Gaza,” a source familiar with Abu Dhabi’s position said.
