US, Israel and UAE held secret meeting over post-Gaza war plan: Report

Quoting two Israeli officials, Axios says that the US, Israel and the UAE held a secret meeting in Abu Dhabi last Thursday to discuss day-after plans for Gaza.

Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed (ABZ) hosted the meeting.

Axios says the meeting included US President Joe Biden's top Middle East adviser Brett McGurk, State Department counsellor Tom Sullivan, and Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, a close confidant of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A day prior to the Israelis's arrival, the UAE laid out its proposal for a day-after plan through ABZ's special envoy Lana Nusseibeh.

Axios says "Nusseibeh advocated for deploying a temporary international mission to Gaza. She said this mission would respond to the humanitarian crisis, establish law and order, and lay the groundwork for governance."

She then told the Financial Times her country was willing to put boots on the ground in Gaza.

Emirati conditions include, however, that the troops should arrive at the invitation of a reformed Palestinian Authority, which would be governed by a new and independent prime minister.

Netanyahu is so far unwilling to end the war in Gaza or to involve the Palestinian Authority in the enclave's governance, but the meeting may signal some changes in attitude.