Testimonies from Gaza Expose Emirati Soldiers Fighting Alongside Israeli Forces

Testimonies from Palestinian civilians in Gaza have unveiled the involvement of Emirati soldiers fighting alongside the Israeli army in raids, arrests, and even acts of brutality and murder in a territory under an ongoing Israeli campaign of extermination for over a year.

The testimonies obtained by ‘Emirates Leaks’ indicate that Israeli forces, aided by Emirati soldiers, are carrying out arrest and interrogation operations, alongside acts of torture against detainees.

One testimony reports that Israeli forces raided a shelter school in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, two days ago, detaining several individuals for interrogation before transferring them to western Gaza.

Upon their release, several detainees confirmed that at least one soldier interrogated them in Arabic with a distinct Emirati accent, while the tanks surrounding the shelter prominently displayed the Israeli flag alongside the Emirati flag.

Local Palestinian sources report that over 200 people from northern Gaza were arrested and assaulted in the last two days. They were organized into groups of 10, with each group being interrogated by an Emirati soldier who speaks Arabic.

As Israel faces regional and international isolation due to its massacres in Palestine and Lebanon, the UAE is collaborating with Tel Aviv to develop a ‘Post-War Gaza Plan’ designed to solidify the Israeli agenda.

U.S. officials have disclosed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken is evaluating a post-war plan for Gaza based on concepts developed by Israel and the UAE, which is set to be presented after the presidential elections, according to the American website Axios.

The report indicated that numerous officials in the White House and the State Department are worried that the plan might sideline Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his government, a scenario that both Israel and the UAE seem to be promoting in the short term.

However, in the absence of an agreement for a prisoner exchange or a ceasefire in Gaza, the presentation of a ‘next-day’ plan could be seen as a potentially positive contribution to the Biden administration’s legacy concerning the conflict.

Axios consulted with twelve officials from the U.S., Israel, Palestine, and the UAE who are familiar with the matter for this report.

U.S. officials report that some within the State Department, including Blinken, believe that achieving an agreement on a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire is unlikely before the end of the Biden administration. As a result, the Israeli-Emirati plan is considered a potential ‘alternative’ that could begin to outline a way out of the war.

However, other officials in the State Department contend that this idea is imprudent and only benefits Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, predicting that Palestinians will reject it, which would ultimately lead to its failure.

U.S., Israeli, and Emirati officials have indicated that the Biden administration, along with Israel and the UAE, has been engaged in discussions about various potential plans for several months.

Furthermore, the officials mentioned that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has also been involved in these talks, contributing some original ideas for the plan.

In July, President Biden’s Middle East adviser, Brett McGurk, and State Department adviser Tom Sullivan met in Abu Dhabi with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, a close ally of Netanyahu, and Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed to discuss this matter.

The day prior to this meeting, the Emiratis presented their proposal in an op-ed authored by the UAE’s special envoy, Lana Nusseibeh.

The plan called for the establishment of a temporary international mission in Gaza, with the objectives of providing humanitarian aid, maintaining law and order, and laying the groundwork for good governance.

The Emiratis suggested sending troops to Gaza as part of an international force, but they conditioned this on receiving an official invitation from the Palestinian Authority after it undergoes ‘meaningful reforms’ led by a new Prime Minister with real authority and independence.

In practice, the Emiratis intended to marginalize Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whom they view as corrupt and unable to perform his duties, effectively stripping him of any executive power.

They also aimed to replace the current Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammad Mustafa, whom they see as aligned with Abbas.

One of the key principles of the Emirati plan was that it would be based on an agreement among political leaders regarding a vision for a two-state solution for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Israeli officials have indicated that Netanyahu found many aspects of the Emirati plan appealing, but he is opposed to its more political components, especially the role of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and the concept of a two-state solution.

Officials have mentioned that discussions surrounding the Israeli-Emirati plan have seen a resurgence in recent weeks.

At the end of September, Dermer and Abz had separate meetings with Blinken, who oversees this issue within the Biden administration, during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Officials indicated that Abu Dhabi and Dermer requested Blinken’s assistance in bridging the remaining gaps between Israel and the UAE concerning the plan, and then in endorsing it—potentially transforming it into a U.S. plan to be introduced after the November elections.

There is still a gap regarding a new proposal from the Emiratis, which suggests that the plan should incorporate the reopening of the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem as a gesture to the Palestinians and a means of showing that the United States is committed to the plan and taking the lead in the process.

U.S. officials say that the Israelis strongly oppose this idea, and they also remain opposed to any mention of a two-state solution.

However, the main gap between Israel and the UAE pertains to the specific role of the Palestinian Authority.

Emirati officials have expressed that the UAE seeks for the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority to appoint a Palestinian figure to assist in leading the transition process in Gaza.

American and Israeli officials have indicated that the Israelis will only consider any potential role for the Palestinian Authority in the long term.

Two senior U.S. State Department officials stated that if Blinken were to present a plan, it would include ideas from Israel and the UAE, along with U.S. proposals, aimed at garnering broader regional consensus on the plan.

A U.S. State Department official noted, ‘We will not support a post-war plan without a role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza. The discussions regarding the specifics of that role are still ongoing.’