Confidential Saudi document proposes Gaza war solutions

RIYADH — Shortly after French diplomat Anne Grillo met with its director, the Gulf Research Center think tank formulated a text laying out potential steps towards resolving the ongoing war in Gaza. Abdelaziz al-Sager, the think tank's director, met with Grillo, director of the North Africa and Middle East Department during her visit to Riyadh a month ago. The think tank's confidential document was sent to the Quai d'Orsay, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where it was viewed by Le Monde, which reports that the proposal involves two distinctive measures for putting an end to the war.

Exile to Algeria and Arab force

The first measure opts for the extraction of "Hamas military and security leaders" from Gaza to Algeria, with an eye specifically on Yahya Sinouar, head of the movement in Gaza, and Mohammad Deif, commander of the al-Qassam Brigades, who are both currently being targeted by the Israeli army's ground invasion of the Strip. Le Monde points out that the document names Algeria as a potential destination for exile due to its good relations with Qatar and Iran — which, according to the Saudi think tank, are "the main supporters of the Hamas movement" — as well as Algeria's "security capacity," which would enable it to "control the activities of these leaders."

In 1982, the French army escorted Yasser Arafat and his troops as they left besieged Beirut for Athens, with Tunisia as their final destination. However, the falling out between Paris and Algeria could now complicate the implementation of such a plan.

The Gulf Research Center's second proposal is to deploy an Arab peacekeeping force in Gaza, under a United Nations mandate, following the withdrawal of Israeli troops. This notion was briefly discussed at the onset of the war but swiftly rejected by Arab countries, notably Jordan, where Palestinian refugees make up a large portion of the population. In mid-November, the Jordanian Foreign Minister said, "There will be no Arab troops going into Gaza. None whatsoever. We are not going to be considered the enemy."

Le Monde also mentions the idea of a "joint transition council," made up of the coastal enclave's main parties — namely Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah — to temporarily manage the territory and organize presidential and parliamentary elections.

Although it was in the process of normalizing relations with Israel before the war, the Saudi kingdom clearly intends to influence the outcome of the conflict, having hosted an Arab-Islamic summit on Gaza on Nov. 11.

Riyadh is particularly concerned about Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have been attacking ships in the Red Sea in support of their allies Hamas and the people of Gaza. These attacks threaten not only the safety of navigation in the commercially vital marine passage, but also Saudi Arabia's own territory. The Saudis are engaged in direct negotiations with the rebel group, who control most of northern Yemen and have warned that they will only cease their attacks on ships linked to Israel when Israel ceases its aggression on Gaza.

While there is uncertainty regarding the Royal House's endorsement of Al-Sager's proposals, Le Monde hints that Saudi diplomacy may not be entirely removed from the initiative. The report reads: "It seems that the search for a Saudi-French consensus could contribute to the elaboration of a common vision acceptable to all parties and have an influence on the decision to end the war."

This article was originally published in French on L'Orient-Le Jour. English translation by Amelia Hankins.