Israel prevents European diplomats from entering US coordination center regarding Gaza

A Hebrew media report revealed that Israel is asking the United States to prevent senior European diplomats accredited to the Palestinian Authority from entering its coordination center in Kiryat Gat, southern Israel.

It is noteworthy that foreign diplomats in East Jerusalem and Ramallah present their credentials to the Palestinian Authority, and their diplomatic mandate is often separate from their countries' embassies in Tel Aviv, as the embassies are responsible for relations with Israel.

The newspaper "Haaretz" quoted Western diplomats as saying that the American civil-military coordination center was open to international representatives in the weeks following its opening last October, but in recent weeks, entry to it has been restricted.

The newspaper reported that the Netherlands was the first country whose head of mission to the Palestinian Authority was prevented from entering the coordination center in Kiryat Gat, after its representative to the Palestinian Authority visited the center twice. It added that the Belgian representative to the Palestinian Authority was also later prevented from entering the center, as well as the French Consul General in Jerusalem, who is also responsible for relations with the Palestinian Authority.

The newspaper pointed out that staff working in diplomatic missions that cooperate with the Palestinian Authority are allowed to enter the coordination center, and that the ban is limited to heads of missions, some of whom are ambassadors. It also quoted European diplomatic sources as saying that the Americans began a few weeks ago to demand that requests to visit the coordination center be submitted in writing to the American embassy in Jerusalem.

The sources added that one of the diplomatic representatives submitted such a request, but did not receive an official response, and American officials informed the country's representatives that it would not be possible for the head of their mission to the Palestinian Authority to access the center, at the request of Israel. Another European diplomat said that his country was verbally informed by an Israeli official of the decision to prevent senior diplomatic representatives to the Palestinian Authority from entering the center.

A third European diplomat reported that when his country's representatives complained to American diplomats about the decision, they were keen to distance themselves from it, explaining that this was a request from the Israeli side and that they were not satisfied with this policy. A European diplomat said: "In the first two weeks of the center's opening, we noticed an openness on the part of the Americans to receive information, because many of them did not have sufficient knowledge of Gaza or the Palestinians. Since then, we have seen that Israel's grip has strengthened there."

European diplomats believe that their representatives to the Palestinian Authority should be present at the coordination center in Kiryat Gat, given their experience in everything related to Palestinian society in general, and relations with the Palestinian Authority in particular. A European diplomat explained that there is no Palestinian representation in the center, and that they tried to fill this gap.

According to the newspaper, the Western countries represented in the coordination center seek to influence Israeli and American policy towards the Gaza Strip, and are pressing for the Palestinian Authority to be given a role in managing the neighborhoods that will be established east of the Yellow Line, in the territories currently under the control of the Israeli army. This initiative contradicts the declared policy of the Israeli government, which refuses to transfer control of the sector to the Palestinian Authority.

The de facto ban imposed on diplomats working with the Palestinian Authority from visiting the coordination center is in line with the long-standing policy of Netanyahu's governments aimed at thwarting any move aimed at uniting the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under one government. Haaretz quoted a Western diplomat as saying that this ban also reflects Israel's negative attitude towards the close relations between some countries and the Palestinian Authority, especially those that have recognized a Palestinian state.

Last September, several countries, including France, Britain, Canada and Australia, recognized the State of Palestine, causing a state of extreme anger in Israel. So far, no official Israeli or American response has been issued regarding what Haaretz reported.

The US Central Command had previously announced the establishment of the center in order to monitor the implementation of US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war on Gaza. The US Central Command stated in a statement that the civil-military coordination center is expanding to include representatives from 50 partner countries and international organizations.

It is noteworthy that Israel, with American support, has been waging a war on Gaza since October 8, 2023, which has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian martyrs and wounded, most of them women and children. The war was supposed to end under a ceasefire agreement, but Israel violates it daily.