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Plans for an international stabilisation force authorized by the UN to demilitarize Hamas in the Gaza Strip are encountering increasing resistance after the UAE announced it would not join due to the lack of a well-defined legal structure.

Increasing Global Reservations

Israel have previously ruled out Turkish involvement, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that his country's troops will not join. Azerbaijan, once considered as a possible participant, did not attend a preparatory meeting in Turkey and indicated it would not contribute unless a complete truce was established.

The UAE does not yet see a defined structure for the stability force and in this situation will not participate, but backs all diplomatic initiatives towards peace – and remain at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Arab Doubts and Legal Concerns

The Emirati announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, highlights regional doubts about the provisions of a American-proposed document previously distributed to delegates at the UN in NYC. The draft places an onus on a American-led stabilisation force to be the principal means of imposing order in the territory after Israeli forces have left the territory.

Arab states would prefer greater duties to be assigned to a separate Palestinian civilian police force. International law would also forbid external forces from entering contested Palestine unless there was explicit local approval; otherwise, the mission could be seen as imposed under UN law, and arguably reinforcing an illegal Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Perspectives and Appeals for Clarity

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan commented: “It is essential that the mission be sent not to reinforce the illegal presence, but to uphold global standards and terminate it. The mission will succeed as long as it enters the whole disputed land, including the West Bank, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a defined objective to conclude the presence within the context of a independent Palestinian state.”

There is no reference to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a outcome that Israeli leadership rejects.

Continuing Negotiations and Potential Dangers

Detailed talks on the mission mandate, including its command and control, started officially on Thursday in New York, and look likely to be protracted – potentially creating the emergence of a power gap in Gaza that may strengthen militant factions.

The US is suggesting that it lead the force although it will not have many troops deployed on the terrain. It has already effectively taken control of the distribution of relief supplies into the territory from a recently established civil military coordination centre based in the neighboring country.

Mission Objectives and Administrative Function

The proposed US resolution outlines the aim of the security mission as “along with the newly trained and vetted law enforcement to help secure frontier zones, stabilise the security environment in Gaza by guaranteeing the process of demilitarising the territory including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding the militant and hostile facilities as well as the permanent removal of arms from militant factions”.

The mission, answerable to a “peace council” chaired by Donald Trump, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “any required actions” to fulfill its objectives.

Arab states including Qatari officials are also worried that this authority is too expansive, and if the group is to disarm, the faction will solely do so to fellow Palestinians, probably in the local law enforcement, at a moment that, from the Hamas viewpoint, marks the end of Israeli presence.

They also worry the proposed authority extends to giving the mission a governance function in the territory, a responsibility that was to be reserved for a Palestinian technocratic committee working in cooperation with a reformed local government.

Humanitarian Aspects and Funding Questions

This “interim authority” in Gaza would stay until “the Palestinian Authority has satisfactorily completed its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be approved to the board of peace”, the draft says. It also “underscores the importance” of full relief in the territory, including through the United Nations, the ICRC, and the humanitarian organizations.

However, it allows for the removal of “any group determined to have misused such aid”. The wording permits the board of peace excluding the UN relief agency, the organization that the international court of justice has ruled is the lawful provider of assistance.

Global Political Efforts

France and Saudi representatives are already pressing for a reference to a Palestinian state to be added in the resolution. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the White House on 18 November, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has stated that a reference to a independent Palestine is a requirement.

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

Neither the United Nations nor the 15 strong UNSC are given a supervisory function over the mission, monitoring the execution of the resolution, a aspect mostly ignored by the proposed document. Nothing is specified about the financing of this security operation, which, as per the US officials, should be mostly borne by Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia taking the lead.

Israeli Demands and Local Developments

Israel is requesting formal assurances from the US that it be permitted to emulate the model of the Lebanese situation and reserve the right to return to the territory if it believes disarmament is not taking place at a scale or pace it requires.

The Israeli proposal was put to Jared Kushner, the ex-president's relative, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in the Israeli capital on this week to review progress on the truce and the envoy was due to arrive later the that day.

Only the remains of a small number of the initial 251 Israeli hostages remain not recovered.

Separately, Israel has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could still be divided in two with rebuilding efforts starting in the Israel occupied areas of the strip. International officials maintain that this is no part of the former US administration's proposal.