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Plans for an international stabilisation force mandated by the United Nations to disarm Hamas in the Gaza Strip are facing increasing opposition after the United Arab Emirates stated it will not take part due to the absence of a well-defined legal structure.

Growing Global Reservations

Israel have already ruled out Turkish participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that Jordanian forces will not participate. Azerbaijan, once mooted as a potential participant, did not attend a preparatory meeting in Istanbul and indicated it would not take part unless a complete ceasefire was established.

The UAE lacks clarity on a clear framework for the stabilisation force and in this situation declines involvement, but backs all political initiatives towards peace – and stay at the vanguard of humanitarian aid.

Arab Skepticism and Juridical Issues

The UAE's decision, made by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, reflects regional doubts about the provisions of a American-proposed document already distributed to diplomats at the UN in NYC. The proposal assigns responsibility on a US-directed security mission to be the principal means of imposing security in the territory after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the territory.

Regional governments would like expanded duties to be assigned to a separate Palestinian law enforcement agency. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit foreign troops from entering contested Palestine unless there was clear local approval; without it, the mission could be viewed as coercive under UN law, and arguably stabilising an illegal Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Appeals for Clarity

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is critical that the force be deployed not to reinforce the unlawful presence, but to enforce global standards and terminate it. The force will succeed as long as it operates in the whole disputed land, including the occupied territories, at the invitation of the Palestinian authorities, and has a defined objective to conclude the occupation within the framework of a sovereign state of Palestine.”

There is no mention to the West Bank in the US draft resolution, or to a Palestinian state, or a two-state solution, a prospect that Israeli leadership opposes.

Ongoing Negotiations and Potential Dangers

In-depth talks on the mission authority, including its command and control, started officially on last week in New York, and appear to be lengthy – risking the emergence of a power gap in the strip that may strengthen Hamas.

The US is suggesting that it lead the mission although it will not have a large number of troops involved on the ground. It has previously effectively taken control of the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new civil military coordination centre based in the neighboring country.

Mission Mandate and Administrative Function

The draft US resolution outlines the aim of the security mission as “together with the recently prepared and vetted law enforcement to assist in protecting border areas, secure the security environment in Gaza by ensuring the procedure of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the elimination and blocking of reconstructing the military terror and offensive infrastructure as well as the permanent removal of arms from non-state armed groups”.

The mission, answerable to a “peace council” chaired by Donald Trump, and not to the UN, would be mandated to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its objectives.

Arab states including Qatari officials are also concerned that this authority is overly broad, and if Hamas is to disarm, the faction will solely do so to fellow Palestinians, likely in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the Hamas perspective, signifies the conclusion of Israeli presence.

They also fear the draft mandate extends to giving the stabilisation force a governance function in Gaza, a responsibility that was to be set aside for a local expert panel working in conjunction with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Aspects and Funding Issues

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip would remain until “the Palestinian Authority has adequately finished its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be approved to the board of peace”, the draft says. It also “emphasizes the significance” of full relief in Gaza, including through the UN, the ICRC, and the humanitarian organizations.

However, it opens the door the exclusion of “any organisation determined to have improperly used such aid”. The wording permits the board of peace barring Unrwa, the organization that the international court of justice has said is the legal provider of aid.

Global Diplomatic Efforts

French officials and Saudi representatives are currently pressing for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be added in the document. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the White House on the specified date, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has stated that a mention to a independent Palestine is a prerequisite.

The PA chair, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on this week to review the authority's function.

Neither the UN nor the 15-member UNSC are assigned a oversight function over the stabilisation force, monitoring the implementation of the proposal, a point mostly overlooked by the draft text. No details is outlined about the funding of this security operation, which, as per the US officials, should be largely covered by regional nations, with Saudi Arabia taking the lead.

Israel's Requests and Regional Situations

Israeli authorities is requesting formal assurances from the US that it be permitted to follow the pattern of the Lebanese situation and retain the authority to re-enter the territory if it considers disarmament is not taking place at a level or pace 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 Jerusalem on Monday to discuss progress on the truce and the envoy was scheduled to arrive later the that day.

Only the bodies of four of the initial 251 captives remain not recovered.

Separately, Israel has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could yet be split in two with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israeli-controlled areas of the strip. Western diplomats maintain that this is no part of the former US administration's proposal.