There are other thorny obstacles. In 1999, Russia, a sworn ally of Serbia, which bitterly resented NATO’s intervention, nevertheless voted in favor of Resolution 1244. China abstained; neither used its veto power. Given the profoundly changed political dynamics on today’s Security Council, and the deep enmity between Russia, China, and the Western powers at present, such collegiality seems far less likely today (though not impossible).
Perhaps the most formidable obstacle to an international mission is the issue of security—that is, Israeli security. After the breach of Israeli sovereign territory and Hamas’s horrifying attack on civilians, Israel will surely insist on setting its own terms of security over Gaza—though it has hardly demonstrated its success at doing so. If Israel is against an international mission due to security concerns, the U.S. could be the country to use its Security Council veto.
And if a resolution passes that satisfies Israel and the U.S., it will probably produce a security mission so restrictive as to be like another occupation, with no horizon for final status in sight. Gaza would be treated as a separate entity in Israel’s mind, like today. “The concerns are that this can’t be done just in Gaza … it could easily entrench the separation paradigm,” said Dajani, referring to Israel’s years-long policy of cutting off Gaza from the West Bank through severe movement restrictions between the regions and deepening the political wedge between Hamas and Fatah. Israel also broadly characterizes Gaza as its own specific problem, or neglects it entirely when considering the larger Palestinian issue. “In that case it would put the international community in the role of being Gaza’s jailkeepers, and no one should want that role.” Similarly, Michael Wahid Hanna, U.S. director of the International Crisis Group and a Middle East expert, noted that even Arab countries wishing to help stabilize the region would shy away in such a case. “What Arab country would agree to that? You’d be subcontracting the Israeli occupation.”