UN Security Council to vote on international force for Gaza peace plan

The UN Security Council is set to vote Monday on a US-drafted resolution that would bolster former President Donald Trump's Gaza peace proposal, including the deployment of an international stabilisation force. Washington has warned that failure to act could lead to renewed hostilities in the region.

The revised draft resolution, seen by AFP, formally endorses the peace plan that established a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on October 10. The resolution comes after the Gaza Strip suffered widespread destruction during two years of conflict that began with Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The proposed resolution authorizes the creation of an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) that would collaborate with Israeli and Egyptian authorities alongside newly trained Palestinian police units. The force would be tasked with securing border areas, demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, and permanently decommissioning weapons from non-state armed groups. Additional responsibilities would include civilian protection and securing humanitarian aid delivery routes.

The resolution also establishes a "Board of Peace" transitional governing body for Gaza, which Trump would theoretically chair, with a mandate extending through December 2027. Unlike previous versions, the current draft acknowledges the possibility of future Palestinian statehood, stating that "the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood" once the Palestinian Authority implements reforms and Gaza reconstruction is underway.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his government's opposition to this provision, stating Sunday that "our opposition to a Palestinian state on any territory has not changed."

The vote is scheduled for 5pm (2200 GMT) Monday amid significant diplomatic maneuvering. Russia, a veto-wielding Security Council member, has circulated a competing draft resolution that emphasizes stronger support for a two-state solution while omitting authorization for the international force and Board of Peace. Instead, the Russian proposal requests that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres provide "options" on these matters.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz defended the resolution in The Washington Post, asserting that "any refusal to back this resolution is a vote either for the continued reign of Hamas terrorists or for the return to war with Israel." The US has secured support from several Muslim-majority nations, including Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Indonesia.

Despite Russian objections and concerns from other member states, diplomatic sources expect the US draft to pass. International Crisis Group expert Richard Gowan noted that while China and Russia may express skepticism, they are unlikely to veto a resolution backed by Arab nations, predicting instead that "China and Russia will abstain, register their skepticism about the plan and then sit back and watch the US struggle to put it into action."