Foreign ministers from across the European Union are reportedly considering a plan that would see the body train 3,000-strong Palestinian police officers who would eventually help keep the peace in Gaza, according to a paper circulated among member nations this week.
The ministers are expected to debate the plan at the Nov. 20 Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. If approved, the EU would take over leadership in training and supporting a 3,000-strong Palestinian police force from Gaza, which the Palestinian Authority would support financially.
The EU’s police training program could be expanded to support 13,000 officers, the paper suggests. Additionally, the EU’s border crossing mission could be extended beyond Rafah to other crossings in Gaza.
If realized, both actions could be major contributions to President Trump’s Gaza peace plan, now well into its second month and showing major cracks. The 20-point plan requires the creation of an International Stabilization Force with contributions from Arab and European nations. The force will eventually train a permanent Palestinian police force to keep the peace in Gaza, according to the plan.
It is unclear what the ISF will look like. Nations typically hostile to Israel and its conduct in Gaza, such as Turkey, have expressed interest in sending troops to the region but have been blocked by Jerusalem. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the ISF will only be composed of nations with which Israel is comfortable.
Additionally, before any nonpolitical police force could be active in Gaza, the U.S. and Israel need to disarm Hamas, which has been overseeing the region since the ceasefire took effect in early October. Since then, Hamas has overseen brutal executions of Israeli collaborators in Gaza and has refused to lay down all of its weapons.
