Morocco, Egypt and Jordan are being considered as contributors of Arab peacekeeping forces to maintain calm in the Palestinian territories, a senior adviser in the Palestinian Authority chairman’s office told The Media Line.
P.A. Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas called on Arab leaders to "think seriously about Arab and international protection for our people" during his address at the Arab League summit in Damascus on Saturday.
The adviser said the idea was on the table and that any Arab forces would be part of a larger international force.
The adviser added that the idea of an Arab contingent in an international peacekeeping force was still in the initial stages. No official approach has been made to these countries as of yet and they have not pledged troops.
Such an initiative would have to go through the Quartet – the U.N., the United States, the European Union and Russia – the four parties pushing for a peace deal between the two sides, the adviser said.
Deploying peace forces would have to take into consideration concerns and requirements on both the Palestinian and the Israeli sides, the adviser added.
Israeli officials said they were still considering their response to the idea.
‘Abbas’ plea comes as United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in the region meeting with Palestinian, Israeli and Jordanian leaders.
Rice urged both Israeli and Palestinian sides to take necessary steps to ease the economic plight of the Palestinians and to improve the security situation.
Ahead of the visit Israel agreed to remove several checkpoints throughout the West Bank in order to ease passage for Palestinians.
Rice’s latest three-day visit to the region, which began on Saturday evening, is part of the U.S.’s efforts to forge a peace treaty between Israelis and Palestinians before the end of the year.
Rice met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Saturday night.
On Sunday she is meeting Israel’s Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Faya’d.
She will continue to Amman and meet there with Jordan’s King Abdallah II and with ‘Abbas, who is currently in Jordan.