Witkoff & Kushner Visit Tel Aviv
On the day that U.S. National Security Advisor Steve Witkoff and former presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner meet with Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Washington is attempting a difficult transition to phase two of the Trump Gaza Peace Plan: the deployment of an international stabilization force (ISF) under U.S. oversight to secure areas from which the occupation army withdraws and to achieve the most sensitive component—“permanent disarmament” of the factions. Jerusalem Post+3Reuters+3Reuters+3
The plan envisions a temporarily-mandated force tasked with securing territory vacated by the Israeli military, focusing on the disarming of factions—a clause Israel demands but many regional partners reject. Reuters
U.S. Visit Objectives
Witkoff and Kushner aim to persuade Israel and regional actors of the viability of the ISF, its mission and membership. Israel insists on a role in determining which national contingents may participate. Reuters
Major Points of Tension
- Force Composition & Mandate: Israel refuses Turkish boots on the ground, constraining the U.S.’s ability to assemble a broad “coalition of the willing.” Reuters+1
- Disarmament of Factions: The clause requiring permanent disarmament remains the most politically contentious element of the plan. Reuters
- Legal Framework: The U.S. has circulated a resolution draft to the United Nations Security Council, seeking a two-year mandate for a governance board and the ISF in Gaza. Reuters+1
Likely Scenarios
- Limited Mission (Chapter VI style): With key regional states hesitant to join a combat-role, the force may be limited to “separation and humanitarian monitoring,” rather than full enforcement. This would make the ISF more of a temporary buffer than a long-term guarantor.
- Full Mandate (Chapter VII style): If hostilities escalate and disarmament stalls, the U.S. may push for a Chapter VII UN mandate empowering stronger enforcement—but this faces formidable political obstacles.
Regional & International Reactions
Several states—including United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey—have expressed reluctance to participate in a military force against Hamas, preferring humanitarian or monitoring roles instead. AL-Monitor
The current U.S. initiative aims not to end the war outright, but to re-manage the crisis with an international veneer of legitimacy and control. The visit by Witkoff and Kushner is a diplomatic stress test: will the U.S. be able to deliver the Israeli ask of a continuing occupation edge, while securing enough international buy-in for the ISF? Reuters+1
