Jordan, Germany call for UN Security Council mandate for Gaza 'stabilisation force'

Jordan and Germany on Saturday said that the plan to deploy an international force to Gaza must receive a United Nations Security Council mandate.

The international stabilisation force, which is outlined in US President Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan, will be primarily made up of troops from Arab and Muslim-majority nations.

The so-called stabilisation force is supposed to train and support vetted Palestinian police in Gaza, with backing from Egypt and Jordan, as well as secure border areas and prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas.

"We all agree that in order for that stabilisation force to be able to be effective in getting the job done, it has to have a Security Council mandate," Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said at the IISS Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain, alongside his German counterpart Johann Wadephul.

Jordan, however, will not be sending its own forces to the Strip.

"We're too close to the issue and we cannot deploy troops in Gaza," Safadi said, adding his country was nonetheless ready to cooperate with the international force.

Wadephul, who also supported a UN mandate for the force, saying it would "need a clear basis in international law".

"We understand that this is of utmost importance to those countries who might be willing to send troops to Gaza and for the Palestinians. Germany would also want to see a clear mandate for this mission," Wadephul said.

The idea of the stabilisation force has drawn some criticism, with UN experts last month warning it would "replace Israeli occupation with a US-led occupation, contrary to Palestinian self-determination".

The two ministers' statements in Bahrain echo earlier concerns voiced by Egypt, which was reportedly lobbying Washington to ensure that a UNSC mandate was secured for the deployment.

The UN has mandated international peacekeeping forces in the region for decades, including UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, which is currently working with the Lebanese army to enforce a November 2024 ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.

Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that an international force will be deployed, adding that Washington is receiving proposals regarding a potential UN resolution or international agreement to authorise it.