In a feature published in the New York Times, UNU-CPR’s Emma Bapt and Adam Day join thinkers, political leaders, and experts to suggest what the path to peace in Gaza could look like. They argue that, given the lack of viable alternatives, it may be time to think seriously about a special UN mission in Gaza.
They suggest two potential scenarios:
- The UN could support a coalition of willing Arab neighbours in a transitional security role (although it is unlikely to be asked to deploy a new peacekeeping force); and
- The UN could potentially repurpose or expand its resources on the ground (the UN Relief and Works Agency, the UN Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace and the UN Truce Supervision Organization), potentially as a complement to forces provided by neighboring countries.
A critical lesson from past UN operations, they stress, is the need to have a clear exit strategy – which in Gaza will be challenging, most likely requiring a Palestinian reconciliation process and elections that avoid laying the groundwork for Hamas 2.0.
Read the article here.
