Jordanian King Ready To Train Palestinian Police Strictly Reject Foreign Forces To Guard Gaza
JAKARTA - Jordanian King Abdullah II strongly rejects the formation of Palestinian police in the Gaza Strip if it involves foreign troops, including officials from his country.
Abdullah assessed that other countries would certainly refuse, if the "peace enforcement" scenario in Gaza would withdraw other state officials based on a plan prepared by US President Donald Trump.
"What is the mandate of the security forces in Gaza? And we hope it is a peace guard, because if it is an enforcement of peace, no one wants to touch it," Abdullah told BBC International Monday, October 27.
Trump's plan calls on Arab countries and other countries to send personnel to train and provide support to Palestinian police forces who will maintain peace in Gaza.
Abdullah said Jordan and Egypt were ready to train police formation in Palestine. However, Abdullah stressed that he would refuse if the plan involved foreign troops.
"Maintaining peace means you sit there supporting the local police, Palestinians, who are willing to be trained in large numbers by Jordan and Egypt, but it will take time," said Abdulah.
"If we patrol around Gaza while carrying weapons, it is not a situation that any country wants to engage in," he continued.
Abdullah said sending Jordanian troops to Gaza would be a challenge to his country because vulnerableness was considered a requirement with political elements.
He admitted that half of his people claimed to be Palestinian descendants, and 2.3 million Palestinian refugees lived in Jordan.
Furthermore, Abdullah said, many members of the international community were worried that peacekeeping forces would be caught up in a new feud between Israel and Hamas.
"If we don't solve this issue, if we don't find a future for Israel and Palestine as well as relations between the Arab world and Muslims with Israel, we will be destroyed," Abdullah said.
In a separate interview with BBC International, Jordan's Queen Rania condemned the failure of the international community to end the war in Gaza more quickly.
"Do you know what it's like to be a parent over the last two years? Seeing your children suffering, hunger, shaking fear, and helpless to do anything, and knowing that the whole world is watching and doing nothing," said Queen Rania, who is of Palestinian descent.
"That nightmare, every parent's nightmare, but that nightmare has become a daily reality for Palestinians over the past two years," he continued.
Queen Rania then praised the administration of US President Donald Trump for successfully breaking into the deadlock.
"Trump is the first president in a long time to really pressure Israel," said Queen Rania.