International force in Gaza needs UN mandate, say Jordan and Germany
Jordan and Germany say an international force expected to support a future Palestinian police force in Gaza under Trump’s post-war governance plan should have a UN mandate.
“We all agree that in order for that stabilisation 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, speaking at a conference in Bahrain alongside his German counterpart Johann Wadephul.
Jordan, however, will not be sending its own forces to the Strip. “We’re too close to the issue and we cannot deploy troops in Gaza,” Safadi said, adding his country is still willing to cooperate with the international force.
Wadephul also supported a UN mandate, saying it would “need a clear basis in international law”.
“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.
Under the US-brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, a coalition of mainly Arab and Muslim nations is expected to deploy forces to Gaza to train and support Palestinian police.
‘We’re committed’: Indonesia may be part of Gaza peacekeeping force
Indonesia – the most populous Muslim nation in the world – has emerged as a strong contender for a Gaza peacekeeping force.
During a visit to Asia this week, President Trump praised Indonesia’s leader for his support for the Middle East peace deal. Indonesia has offered thousands of troops for Gaza.
“Indeed, we’re committed to send peacekeeping personnel to address the situation in Gaza. But details or the term of reference for that matter remain unclear,” Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono, who like many Indonesians uses a single name, said earlier this week.
“There has to be a mandate from the UNSC, which we hope will be issued. There has been no discussions so far, and we’re far from settling any details.”
Indonesian military spokesperson Major-General Freddy Ardianzah said on Friday the number and composition of troops are still at a planning stage.
Lutheran bishop accuses Israel of genocide, drawing criticism from German delegation
Sani Ibrahim Azar, the head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza during a Reformation Day service at the Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem’s Old City on Friday.
“What does Reformation look like after two years of genocide? What does Reformation mean when we look at a world, a country, that is so broken?” he said.
His comments drew criticism from a German delegation from the North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament, which attended the service as part of a visit to Israel.
“We expressly distance ourselves – especially as a German delegation – from the one-sidedness of what was said during the service,” a statement issued by the state parliament in the state capital, Dusseldorf, said on Saturday.
