Egypt training Palestinian Authority security officers for role in post-war Gaza

Egypt has been training forces linked to the Palestinian Authority (PA) to assume security control in the Gaza Strip after the war, according to recent reports in Middle East Eye and the Wall Street Journal.

Egypt, together with Jordan, previously trained Palestinian security forces following the Palestinian Police Donors Conference in Oslo in December 1993. The aim was to build a professional PA police force that would eventually handle broader security matters in cooperation with Israel, including counterterrorism in the Palestinian Territories

In April, Arab media reported that 300 PA security personnel went to Cairo to receive training as part of Egypt’s post-war plan for Gaza, which anticipates a dominant role for the PA in the future governance of the Gaza Strip. This plan was presented at the Arab Summit in March. 

However, Israel opposes a role for the PA, given its funding for terror as part of its “pay-for-slay” program, as well as its use of antisemitic and inciting educational curricula throughout its schools. Instead, Israel hopes to see governance by local groups with oversight from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Israel apparently has U.S. backing in this area. 

According to Middle East Eye, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Gulf states, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia to support its reconstruction plan in an attempt to prevent the proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump for a “Riviera of the Middle East,” or an Israeli occupation of the Strip, and the expulsion of Palestinians from the enclave. 

The UAE and Saudi Arabia refused to support the Egyptian plan, saying support for Gaza reconstruction and alternative governance should be conditioned on the disarmament of Hamas and the exile of its leaders and senior commanders from the Gaza Strip. 

According to security analyst Aly el-Raggal, Egypt’s reconstruction plan was also an attempt to maintain Egyptian influence in Gaza, especially given the preference in Israel and the U.S. for a UAE and Saudi role in “day after” plans for the enclave. 

“The deeper its security presence inside Gaza, the greater its political and social influence, and the greater its regional role,” el-Raggal told Middle East Eye. 

“This is a necessary course of action at present, especially in light of the significant curtailment of Egypt’s role in all regional files.” 

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty in July said that “Egypt has a comprehensive plan and proposal that enjoys Arab and international support after a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.” He told Egyptian television, “We have a vision for the security arrangements and governance of the Gaza Strip and who will manage the Gaza Strip the next day."

At that time, Abdelatty also acknowledged Egypt’s training of Palestinian security officers, saying, “Egypt is training hundreds of Palestinians to take over security tasks in Gaza” following the end of the war. 

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal spoke with Amir Avivi, a former Israeli defense official who has ties to the current government, who reaffirmed Israel’s opposition to any role for the PA in post-war Gaza. 

“The Egyptians want the PA to be in Gaza and this is something that Israel won’t accept,” Avivi said. 

Besides Israel’s lack of faith in the PA to be a reliable partner, the Journal also noted the low levels of support for the PA among the Palestinian population It cited a May poll by Palestinian pollster Khalil Shikaki showing that 81% of Palestinians want PA President Mahmoud Abbas to resign. 

The PA has said that Hamas should be disarmed, but still maintains that the group should be able to participate in Palestinian politics as a political party, which Israel firmly rejects. 

The discussion of Egyptian training of PA security officers for a role in post-war Gaza appears to be related to Egypt’s push for a ceasefire agreement before Israel officially starts Operation Gideon’s Chariots II. Egypt is strongly opposed to an Israeli takeover of the Gaza Strip, and has even brought troops and armored units close to the border as a sign of its alarm over such an outcome. 

Officially, the Egyptian government maintains that the reinforcements are to prevent an attempt by Palestinians to breach the border with Egypt and flood the Sinai with large numbers of evacuees. However, the presence of armored units suggests that Egypt is posturing in order to warn Israel. 

Operation Gideon’s Chariots II is expected to officially start in early September. 

This article originally appeared on ALL ARAB NEWS and is reposted with permission.