King Abdullah of Jordan has stated that international forces would be reluctant to enforce peace in Gaza under the proposed ceasefire plan, emphasizing that peacekeeping roles are more acceptable than peace enforcement. His comments highlight the challenges in deploying foreign troops to the conflict-ridden territory.
The comments were made in an exclusive interview with BBC Panorama, where King Abdullah discussed the Trump administration’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza. The plan proposes that Arab states and international partners commit stabilisation forces to train and support vetted Palestinian police forces, with Hamas disarming and relinquishing political control. This framework aims to establish security and pave the way for a sustainable resolution to the long-standing conflict, though it faces significant hurdles in implementation.
King Abdullah clarified that the mandate of any security forces in Gaza must be peacekeeping, not peace enforcement. ‘If we’re running around Gaza on patrol with weapons, that’s not a situation that any country would like to get involved in,’ he said, reflecting concerns about being drawn into ongoing conflicts between Hamas and Israel or other Palestinian groups. He stressed that peacekeeping involves supporting local police, while peace enforcement could lead to direct combat roles that nations are wary of undertaking due to the volatile environment.
He emphasized that Jordan and Egypt are willing to train Palestinian security forces in large numbers, but this process takes time and requires a stable environment. However, he ruled out sending Jordanian forces into Gaza, citing the country’s close political ties to the situation. Over half of Jordan’s population is of Palestinian descent, and the nation has absorbed 2.3 million Palestinian refugees over decades, making direct military involvement politically sensitive and potentially destabilizing for regional relations.
On the humanitarian front, King Abdullah described the devastation in Gaza as ‘shocking’ after flying over the territory on aid missions. He has been involved in evacuating sick and wounded children, with 253 brought to Jordan so far, but the process is excruciatingly slow due to comprehensive security checks by Israel and host countries. The World Health Organization reports that over 15,000 Gazans, including about 3,000 children, still await evacuation, highlighting the urgent need for streamlined procedures to address the growing humanitarian crisis.
Queen Rania, in her interview, criticized the international community for failing to stop the war for two years and praised President Trump for applying pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire. She noted that Trump used America’s diplomatic, military, and financial support as leverage, leading to Netanyahu’s agreement. She expressed hope that with continued international engagement, a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians is possible, despite the current atmosphere of animosity and grief that has deepened over the conflict.
The broader context includes the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, with over 68,000 killed according to Hamas-run health ministry, following the October 7 attack by Hamas that killed 1,200 Israelis. International efforts, led by Qatar and Egypt with US support, continue to mediate, while the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for alleged war crimes. King Abdullah concluded that without a solution, the region is ‘doomed,’ underscoring the urgency for a two-state solution and improved relations between the Arab world and Israel to prevent further escalation.