UN Mandate for Gaza? Turkey Seeks Permission for Cleanup Crew
Turkey's foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, is reportedly discussing a UN mandate for a 'stabilization mechanism' in Gaza with Palestinian representatives. This comes after The New Arab notes the ongoing discussions about a fragile ceasefire and 'next steps for Palestinian governance.' The implication, of course, is that Palestinians need governing after their territory was systemically dismantled by
a UN member state using weapons supplied by another Security Council permanent member. (One might wonder which 'steps' Israel took to 'govern' post-1948, as over 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed — a 'stabilization' no one discusses.) The US, which recently approved another $14.5 billion in aid to Israel (HR 8274, Feb 13, 2024), effectively greenlighting the 'destabilization' that
necessitates this discussion, consistently presents itself as a neutral arbiter. This is the same diplomatic sleight of hand regularly performed by officials who accept substantial donations from groups like AIPAC – for instance, House Speaker Mike Johnson received over $100,000 from pro-Israel groups (OpenSecrets, 2023-2024 cycle) before pushing through supplemental aid. The 'stability' they seek
always seems to benefit the aggressor, never the victim. It’s not a stabilization force; it’s a cleanup crew for a massacre their patrons bankrolled.