It came as no surprise when Israeli media revealed, just two days ago, what has long been pointed out: secret meetings between Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed and Israeli officials aimed at planning a replacement for Hamas’ governance in Gaza.
The only new element this time is that these leaks came directly from within Israel, through Yair Golan, the former Israeli general and well-known politician, who admitted that bin Zayed had shown full readiness to build and fund an alternative ruling system for Hamas in the Strip — under direct Israeli supervision.
What the Israeli press is reporting today is simply further confirmation of the Emirati project that, for years, has sought to embed itself in Gaza — not out of love for its people but to play the role of the “obedient broker” who achieves for Israel what all wars and blockades have failed to deliver: Gaza without resistance, without decision-making, and weapons.
The Secret Meetings… and What Lies Behind the Leaks
According to the latest leaks, the meeting between Abdullah bin Zayed and Israeli officials was not the first of its kind but had been repeated several times in recent months — the latest taking place just days ago with the presence of a senior American official.
In this meeting, the Emirati side made a dangerous offer: to train “non-factional” security cadres loyal to a new civil administration that would take over Gaza’s governance once Hamas is removed.
One crucial point must be noted here: the failure of the Yasir Abu Shabab project — funded by Abu Dhabi as a Gaza version of “Haftar” or “Hemeti” — did not push the UAE to abandon its scheme. Instead, it made it more determined to find other alternatives.
This exposes the reality that the project is not a passing initiative but a strategic plan in which the roles of the UAE, Israel, and even the United States intertwine.
The “Israeli Public Opinion Coordination Unit” on Board
What’s also striking is that Yair Golan’s disclosure of the recent meeting’s details did not come out of “transparency” but after he received a green light from the “Israeli Public Opinion Coordination Unit.” This is a dangerous indicator: Israel is preparing internal and external public opinion for the post-Hamas phase.
The Israeli narrative is now shifting from “eradicating Hamas” to “who will govern Gaza afterwards?” — and the answer is already clear in Tel Aviv’s mind: a replacement system funded and trained by Abu Dhabi.
Conditional Reconstruction… via Emirati Companies
The plot does not stop at changing governance in Gaza but extends to an even more critical file: the Strip’s reconstruction.
According to the leaks, Israel will not allow any reconstruction process unless it is done through Emirati companies. This means Abu Dhabi will become the gateway for money and projects — effectively controlling the daily lives of Gazans, holding political and economic leverage, and steering the rebuilding process away from any influence by the resistance or genuine grassroots forces.
This plan would re-engineer Gaza administratively and in the media, erasing any signs of resistance forces and marketing the image of a “peaceful” Strip — disarmed, under Emirati and Israeli hegemony.
Just Another “Window of Influence”
For Mohammed bin Zayed and his brother Abdullah, Gaza is nothing more than another “window of influence.” Their project has nothing to do with supporting the Palestinian people or their rights. It is an attempt to present themselves to Washington and Tel Aviv as an “effective Arab ally” capable of managing complex regional files.
They have no problem turning Gaza into an Emirati security sphere that monitors the people, suppresses any voice of resistance, and exports Abu Dhabi’s repressive, police-state model into the besieged Strip.
Like Israel, the UAE wants Gaza disarmed, voiceless, and stripped even of the idea of resistance. This is the essence of the deal. All the talk of “reconstruction” or “civil governance” is nothing but a mask to suffocate Gaza politically and security-wise and turn it into an enclave subordinate to occupation interests and its allies.
Timing the Leak… and Its Messages
The timing of the Israeli leak is no coincidence. The occupation is now convinced that its war machine has not and will not succeed in uprooting the resistance in Gaza, and that the only alternative to weakening it is to create a new political reality.
Here, the UAE’s role becomes clear — it has no qualms about conspiring against Gaza in exchange for securing a bigger seat at the regional influence table.
Furthermore, the direct involvement of Washington in these recent meetings means that Israel will not act alone but is preparing the ground for a coming political solution — one that needs a “clean-faced” Arab front like Abu Dhabi to market the new phase to the international community.
But Some Realities Cannot Be Ignored
Israel has not succeeded — despite years of siege and bombing — in removing Hamas or crushing the resistance.
Any alternative planned by the UAE will never have genuine popular legitimacy in Gaza, no matter how much money or weapons back it.
The people of Gaza have shown that their awareness runs deeper than to be deceived by an oil merchant seeking to polish his image at the cost of their blood and dignity.
A Popular Resistance Facing Conspiracy
Gaza is not for sale. It will not become a bargaining chip in Mohammed bin Zayed’s or anyone else’s pocket. What is being discussed today in Tel Aviv, Abu Dhabi, and Washington will not easily pass on the ground. The people who have endured siege, bombardment, and starvation will not allow Gaza to be handed over to a new ruler — even if he arrives on the back of billions of dollars or through reconstruction contracts.
The most dangerous aspect of the Emirati plan is that it gives Israel a golden opportunity to reshape Gaza according to its own security and political standards. But this plan — like those before it — will collide with a stubborn reality called the resistance, which may lose battles or retreat at times but has proven it is impossible to uproot or replace.
Through its blatant, shameless collusion, the UAE once again proves it plays the role of Israel’s “watchdog” in the region. But Gaza — which has survived on the edge of death for years — will not allow that role to become its destiny.
In the end, bin Zayed may fund alternatives, and Israel may back them, but whoever truly governs Gaza will always be the one who holds the street’s and the battlefield’s legitimacy — not someone sitting in Abu Dhabi’s hotels or Tel Aviv’s meeting rooms.
