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Plans for an international stabilisation force mandated by the UN to disarm Hamas in Gaza are encountering growing opposition after the United Arab Emirates stated it would not take part due to the absence of a clear legal framework.

Increasing International Reservations

Israel have already ruled out Turkish involvement, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that his country's forces will not join. Azerbaijan, previously mooted as a potential participant, was absent from a preparatory meeting in Turkey and indicated it would not contribute unless a complete truce was in place.

Emirati officials does not yet see a clear framework for the stabilisation mission and in this situation declines involvement, but backs all diplomatic efforts towards resolution – and stay at the vanguard of humanitarian aid.

Arab Doubts and Legal Concerns

The UAE's announcement, made by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, reflects regional reservations about the terms of a American-proposed document already distributed to diplomats at the UN in NYC. The draft places an onus on a American-led stabilisation force to be the primary means of imposing security in Gaza after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the territory.

Regional governments would prefer greater responsibilities to be given to a separate Palestinian civilian police force. Global jurisprudence would also forbid external forces from deploying into contested Palestine unless there was clear Palestinian consent; otherwise, the mission could be viewed as coercive under UN law, and arguably stabilising an unlawful presence.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Calls for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal commented: “It is essential that the force be deployed not to stabilise the illegal presence, but to uphold international law and end it. The mission will work as long as it operates in the whole disputed land, including the West Bank, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a clear goal to end the occupation within the context of a independent state of Palestine.”

There is no reference to the occupied territories in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israeli leadership opposes.

Continuing Negotiations and Potential Dangers

Detailed talks on the mission mandate, including its leadership structure, began officially on Thursday in New York, and look likely to be protracted – risking the emergence of a power gap in the strip that may empower Hamas.

The United States is proposing that it lead the force although it will not have many personnel deployed on the terrain. It has already in effect assumed command of the distribution of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new civil military coordination centre based in Israel.

Mission Mandate and Administrative Role

The draft US resolution outlines the purpose of the security mission as “together with the newly trained and screened police force to assist in protecting frontier zones, secure the security environment in Gaza by guaranteeing the procedure of demilitarising the territory including the elimination and prevention of rebuilding the military terror and offensive infrastructure as well as the permanent removal of arms from militant factions”.

The force, reporting to a “peace council” led by Donald Trump, and not to the United Nations, would be mandated to use “any required actions” to fulfill its goals.

Arab states including Qatari officials are also concerned that this authority is too expansive, and if the group is to lay down arms, the group will solely do so to local counterparts, probably in the civilian police force, at a moment that, from the Hamas viewpoint, marks the conclusion of occupation.

They also worry the proposed authority extends to granting the mission a administrative function in the territory, a task that was to be set aside for a Palestinian expert panel working in conjunction with a restructured Palestinian Authority.

Aid Aspects and Financial Questions

This “interim authority” in Gaza would remain until “the Palestinian Authority has adequately completed its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be approved to the board of peace”, the proposal states. It also “emphasizes the importance” of unhindered humanitarian aid in Gaza, including through the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the humanitarian organizations.

Nonetheless, it opens the door the removal of “any group found to have misused such assistance”. The wording permits the council excluding Unrwa, the body that the international court of justice has said is the lawful distributor of aid.

Global Diplomatic Efforts

France and Saudi representatives are currently pressing for a mention to a sovereign Palestine to be added in the resolution. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on the specified date, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has said that a mention to a independent Palestine is a requirement.

The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on this week to review the PA role.

Not the UN nor the 15 strong UNSC are assigned a oversight role over the mission, monitoring the execution of the resolution, a point mostly ignored by the draft text. No details is outlined about the funding of this stabilisation mission, which, according to the Americans, should be mostly borne by Gulf states, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Requests and Local Situations

Israel is requesting formal assurances from the US that it be allowed to emulate the model of Lebanon and reserve the authority to return to Gaza if it believes disarmament is not taking place at a level or speed it requires.

The request was presented to the former US advisor, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on Monday to discuss developments on the truce and the envoy was due to appear subsequently the that day.

Only the bodies of four of the initial 251 Israeli hostages remain unreturned.

Independently, Israeli officials has been proposing that the territory could still be split in two parts with rebuilding efforts starting in the Israel occupied areas of the region. Western diplomats maintain that this is not part of the Trump plan.