US envoy says talks held with Gulf Arab states on post-war Gaza administration

The United States has held talks with Gulf Arab states about the possibility that they could administer Gaza once the war is over, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Reuters on Sept 19.

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Mr Huckabee said there had been conversations around an interim governing structure involving Gulf Arab states, potentially with the US taking on a supervisory role, with a decision on a permanent arrangement to be made later.

"It’s a discussion. It’s not something that has been accepted by the administration, by Israel, by anyone. I’m not familiar with anything that is ready for signature," he said.

After nearly two years of war, Israel has not clearly outlined how it wants Gaza to be governed, although there is broad international consensus that militant group Hamas, heavily diminished by Israel’s siege, cannot remain in charge.

Mr Huckabee did not say when the talks took place, or which Gulf states had been involved. The Gulf states did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Reuters reported in January that the United Arab Emirates had discussed with the US and Israel about participating in an interim postwar Gaza administration that included the Palestinian Authority (PA). In May, it reported that the US had separately discussed the possibility of it leading a temporary postwar administration.