A senior Azerbaijani official has expressed Baku’s doubts about joining an international force to be deployed in Gaza.
Hikmet Hajiyev, a senior Azerbaijani presidential adviser, said that it would be difficult for Baku to participate in a force to be deployed as part of a US-brokered ceasefire plan, citing issues about the scope of the mandate.
In remarks to Nikkei, the official said that Washington had approached Baku to include Azerbaijani forces in what it calls “the International Stabilization Force”.
“No final decision has been made yet,” Hajiyev said.
The UN Security Council last month approved a resolution to create the force, securing official support from Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan and Jordan.
However, little progress has been made since then.
Hajiyev expressed concern that the Security Council resolution “does not address questions regarding the specific rules of engagement in Gaza, modalities of action, and the scope of the mission’s mandate”.
He also pointed out that Azerbaijan had been fighting neighbouring Armenia until 2023, and it would be difficult to convince its people to mobilise more troops.
The force would be tasked with maintaining security in Gaza, demilitarising the area, and training Palestinian police forces for the future.
Delayed timeline
The US had been aiming to start operations for the force around the beginning of the new year.
Sources familiar with the negotiations told Middle East Eye earlier this month that Israel’s refusal to accept Turkish troops in Gaza discouraged partners like Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
US Central Command, which has been tasked with coordinating the humanitarian aid into the strip and the establishment of the force, convened a summit in Doha earlier this month. It invited a large number of countries but excluded Turkey at the request of Israel.
King Abdullah of Jordan said in an interview with the BBC in late October that Jordan would not send troops to Gaza.
A senior official from the UAE also said in November that it would be difficult for the country to join at this time.
Turkish officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the subject, told MEE that no final decision had been made on Turkey’s participation in the force.
They expect a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump later this month to provide clarification on the subject.
Turkey has already drafted a military brigade for a such possible deployment.
Ankara insiders believe the Turkish government could live without deploying troops to Gaza, but they are worried that Hamas wouldn’t trust the other countries as it does Turkey, and the whole set-up could be in disarray in the near future.
Turkey’’s influence over the Palestinian group helped reach a ceasefire agreement in September.
Ragip Soylu
