Some European countries rethink participation at US-led Gaza coordination center |
Several European countries are considering whether to stop sending personnel to a US military-led coordination center for Gaza, saying it has failed to increase aid flows to the war-shattered enclave or achieve political change, diplomats said.
The Civil-Military Coordination Center was established in southern Israel in October under US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza. It was tasked with monitoring the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, facilitating the entry of aid, and developing postwar policies for the Palestinian territory.
Dozens of countries, including Germany, France, Britain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, sent personnel, including military planners and intelligence officials, to the center as they sought to influence discussions on Gaza’s future.
But eight foreign diplomats told Reuters that officials from some European countries had not returned to the CMCC, located in Kiryat Gat some 20 miles (36 kilometers) from the Gaza border, since the Christmas and New Year holidays. Several nations were questioning the purpose of the center, with one Western diplomat describing it as “directionless.”
“Everybody thinks it’s a disaster, but there is no alternative,” said another Western diplomat.
The European rethink, which has not been previously reported, is the latest sign of unease among Washington’s allies as Trump pursues unorthodox foreign policies toward Gaza, Greenland, and Venezuela.
Some European governments were now considering whether to reduce their CMCC presence or even to stop sending personnel altogether, the diplomats said. The diplomats declined to say which governments were reassessing their position.
The White House and US State Department did not respond to requests for comment on this story.
The CMCC is run by a US general and also hosts both American and Israeli military personnel. Its........