As Western powers push for a new governing structure in Gaza, their moves suggest an agenda that undermines Palestinian self-determination.
The European Union recently declared its mission has returned to the Rafah Crossing between Egypt and Gaza, as US private security firms have sent in ex-special forces operatives to man a checkpoint in Netzarim Corridor. Meanwhile, around 150,000 displaced Palestinians remain unable to return home.
While the US and EU work alongside Israel in implementing the ongoing phased ceasefire agreement in Gaza, they do so with an outlook to change the nature of the territory’s governance and threaten to usher in an era that parallels the siege that existed prior to the 15-month-long genocide.
As the rhetoric emanating from Washington and Tel Aviv would have the world focus on whether the Gaza ceasefire is going to hold and the potentially catastrophic effects of an ethnic cleansing campaign, developments related to a post-war rule of the besieged territory are being largely ignored. Two key actions in recent weeks have provided some insight into what may be to come.
100 US special forces veterans armed with M4 rifles and Glock pistols to run checkpoint at a key intersection in Gaza’s interior: https://t.co/4thYH9SxzH
— Bean (@SomersetBean) January 31, 2025
The deployment of two US-based private security firms to the Netzarim Corridor, which are working on monitoring vehicles entering the north of Gaza through a checkpoint set up there, could have potentially explosive consequences. The most active company is named UG Solutions and has sought to hire nearly 100 ex-US Special Force soldiers and the other is a logistics and strategic planning firm called Safe Reach Solutions (SRS).
What is striking about these two US private companies, who are also collaborating with an Egyptian security firm, is their low-key nature. According to an investigative article published by The Grayzone, SRS appears to be a shell company for a generational wealth management firm, while UG Solutions has a history of contracting personnel for missions in Africa and beyond, but doesn’t have much of a public record.
Although it isn’t an Israeli security firm operating inside the Gaza Strip, it ends up performing a role that is common with Israeli private security companies who are contracted to manage checkpoints across the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.
The European Union (EU) policy chief Kaja Kallas publicly announced that Brussels would be deploying its mission to the Rafah Crossing, which it says was requested by both the Israeli and Palestinian sides. By Palestinian, they mean the deeply unpopular Palestinian Authority (PA) which has refused to hold national elections since 2006. Although the EU’s role may be more conspicuous than that of the US private security companies, they are very clear that they are helping the process of Palestinians leaving the Gaza Strip, but not those who seek to re-enter.
US Private Contractors to Supervise Key Gaza Checkpoint at Netzarim – Reports
It is often missed that the EU, along with its US allies, have not only abided by a policy of helping Israel to enforce its siege on Gaza – effectively sanctioning the territory since 2006 – but are also the Palestinian Authority’s biggest supporters.
The Fatah Party-led PA received funding from the EU which has focused its efforts heavily on ensuring its security forces continue “security coordination” with the Israelis at all costs, ignoring their anti-democratic barring of national elections, reports of rampant corruption and illegitimacy amongst their own people.
The Palestinian Authority is also vying for power over the Gaza Strip following the complete closure of the war, which has even proposed the transfer of forces into the territory in order to help them run a new civil administration.
Yet, even the Israeli government is skeptical of this approach, doubting the ability of the PA to perform such a takeover. As has been observed by policymakers in Tel Aviv and Washington, the PA’s security forces proved themselves incapable of even taking control of the Jenin Refugee Camp over a 40-day period of invading it.
It appears highly implausible that the PA in its current form and with its rather stubborn attitude could take over Gaza successfully, especially due to it being constrained by its dependency on the EU and United States.
The PA’s stance is there will be no Hamas involvement or cooperation with the movement in the Gaza post-war administration, which would end up meaning that the PA’s security forces would have to fight in order to impose their will.
#WATCH: The #EU has restarted civilian mission to monitor border crossing between #Gaza and #Egypt at #Rafah, a key entry and exit point for the #Palestinian territory, the bloc’s foreign policy chief @kajakallas said on Friday #Israel #Palestine #Hamas https://t.co/xIhW28svBE pic.twitter.com/5xLTC4UJQE
— Arab News (@arabnews) January 31, 2025
As Israel has failed with its full military might to crush Hamas, it is far-fetched that they would survive very long in attempting to cripple the Qassam Brigades and other armed wings in Gaza that would inevitably resist them.
In addition to this, the PA would not have the public support necessary for such action and would not only face a disgruntled civilian population in Gaza, but even possibly in the West Bank too. If rapidly defeated and forced to flee Gaza, which would be the likely result, even with Israeli help, this could loosen their grip over their own territory too.
While Hamas and allied groups in Gaza have expressed willingness for compromise in a post-war administration, understanding that the need for re-construction and passage of goods will depend upon the previous Hamas government dissolving, there is yet to be any development indicating an upcoming democratic process.
The primary proposals being floated now evolve around private security companies, foreign nations that are friendly to Israel, and some involvement of localized community leaders taking up positions of limited positions of authority.
The lack of any clear vision then poses a more urgent question: If no serious preparations are made, what will Gaza look like and who will rule it? In the event that no alternative administration is created in time, or that a proposed reform process collapses, the obvious reality will be one in which the Hamas-aligned administration that ran the territory prior to October 7, 2023, will be the only one capable of maintaining security and running an administration.
If a new governing body is formed that doesn’t include Hamas at all, the territory is still going to need those with the expertise to rule and most of them were at one point working under the Hamas-run administration.
If the expectation is that all of the Gaza Strip’s police officers, health officials, civil administration employees, and emergency services no longer work due to their past affiliations, the only way forward would be a foreign-imported administration from top to bottom. This means that Gaza will end up being robbed of self-determination by US security firms and American-aligned nations that provide the means to control the territory.
In 2006, following the Palestinian Legislative elections that Hamas won, late US President Jimmy Carter argued the following:
“If you sponsor an election or promote democracy and freedom around the world, then when people make their own decisions about their leaders, I think that all the governments should recognize that administration and let them form their government”.
Israel ‘Deliberately Delaying and Obstructing’ Entry of Aid into Gaza – Hamas
The White House has ignored the view of President Carter throughout the Bush Jr., Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations, never giving Democracy a chance. In fact, George W. Bush Jr. covertly armed a planned coup attempt that the US organized in coordination with the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority in 2007.
The coup plot was violently repelled and led to the Hamas takeover that year. In 2006, the US and EU had already sanctioned Hamas for winning the elections, with the restriction of the blockade coming upon the PA’s failed coup plot in 2007.
Every Palestinian mainstream political party, with the exception of the Fatah Party’s ruling branch, is considered a terrorist organization, not only to Israel but also to the EU and US.
Therefore, the view is that Palestinians must collaborate with Israel fully and pledge to fight their own people in order to protect the occupier, or they are terrorists incapable of making their own decisions. It is textbook racism, yet the idea that Palestinians can never have Democratic rule passes without any issue in mainstream Western discourse.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
– Robert Inlakesh is a journalist, writer, and documentary filmmaker. He focuses on the Middle East, specializing in Palestine. He contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle.
