Three Islamic Countries Compete to Enter Gaza via the U.S. 'Stabilization Force'

SadaNews: Three non-Arab countries – Indonesia, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan – are competing to join a "Future Stabilization Force" in Gaza, according to U.S. defense officials disclosed to Politico. This force is deemed a crucial part of President Donald Trump's administration's plan to restructure the security and political situation in the sector.

Defense officials, one of whom is currently in office while the other is a former official, confirmed that the three countries have shown serious interest in participating, although negotiations are still in their early stages and no formal commitments have been made yet. However, progress in the talks reflects the seriousness of the White House in implementing the 20-point peace plan.

Indonesia, the largest Islamic country by population, is seeking to expand its international influence through this participation. Meanwhile, Pakistan and Azerbaijan maintain close ties with the current U.S. administration, and each may see this move as an opportunity to enhance its standing in Washington.

Dan Shapiro, a former official at the U.S. Department of Defense during the Biden administration, emphasized the importance of creating real momentum, calling for encouraging participating countries to define the force's missions and structure to ensure their readiness for deployment.

The U.S. plan includes training the Palestinian police to take over the administration of the sector in the future, transferring power from Hamas. Egypt and Jordan are expected to participate in consultations without sending troops, to avoid any perception that they are working on behalf of Israel. Additionally, forces from Egypt, Qatar, and the UAE are expected to be stationed inside Israel to contribute to monitoring the ceasefire.

Militarily, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has begun deploying 200 soldiers in Israel to establish a civil-military coordination center north of Gaza, in the absence of coordination teams from the State Department or other governmental bodies.

A former defense official believes the mission represents a significant challenge for CENTCOM, especially with the absence of a unified coordinating entity, and increasing complexity resulting from collaboration with countries that fall outside its area of responsibility, such as Indonesia and Azerbaijan.