Israel will decide which foreign troops are acceptable to secure Gaza ceasefire, Netanyahu says

"It remains unclear whether Arab and other states will be ready to commit troops, in part given the refusal of Palestinian Hamas militants to disarm as called for by the plan, while Israel has voiced concerns about the make-up of the force. While the Trump administration has ruled out sending US soldiers into the Gaza Strip, it has been speaking to Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Azerbaijan to contribute to the multinational force."

""We are in control of our security, and we have also made it clear regarding international forces that Israel will determine which forces are unacceptable to us, and this is how we operate and will continue to operate," Netanyahu said. "This is, of course, acceptable to the United States as well, as its most senior representatives have expressed in recent days," he told a session of his cabinet."

"Last week Netanyahu hinted that he would be opposed to any role for Turkish security forces in Gaza. Once-warm Turkish-Israeli relations soured drastically during the Gaza war, with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan lambasting Israel's devastating air and ground campaign in the small Palestinian enclave. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on a visit to Israel aimed at shoring up the truce, said on Friday the international force would have to be made up of "countries that Israel's comfortable with". He made no comment on Turkish involvement."

A multinational force is proposed as part of a 20-point plan for Gaza after a truce, with the United States ruling out sending US soldiers. The US has been engaging Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Azerbaijan to contribute to the force. Israel continues to control all access to Gaza and has voiced concerns about the force's composition. Palestinian Hamas militants have refused to disarm as called for by the plan, complicating potential commitments from Arab and other states. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated Israel will determine which international forces are unacceptable and opposed Turkish participation.

Read at Irish Independent