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Plans for an international stabilisation force mandated by the UN to disarm the militant group in the Gaza Strip are facing growing opposition after the United Arab Emirates stated it would not join due to the lack of a clear legal structure.

Increasing Global Reservations

Israeli authorities have previously excluded Turkish involvement, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that his country's troops will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, previously mooted as a possible contributor, did not attend a preparatory session in Turkey and indicated it would not contribute unless a full ceasefire was established.

The UAE lacks clarity on a defined structure for the stability force and in this situation declines involvement, but will support all diplomatic initiatives towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Arab Skepticism and Legal Issues

The Emirati announcement, made by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, highlights Arab doubts about the terms of a American-proposed resolution previously distributed to delegates at the UN in NYC. The proposal places an onus on a American-led stabilisation force to be the principal means of ensuring order in the territory after Israeli forces have left the region.

Regional governments would prefer expanded duties to be assigned to a distinct local law enforcement agency. Global jurisprudence would also forbid external forces from entering occupied Palestinian territories unless there was explicit Palestinian consent; without it, the mission could be seen as imposed under UN law, and arguably reinforcing an unlawful Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Appeals for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan commented: “It is essential that the force be sent not to reinforce the unlawful presence, but to enforce international law and terminate it. The force will work as long as it enters the entire occupied territory, including the occupied territories, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a clear goal 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 two-state solution, a prospect that Israel rejects.

Ongoing Negotiations and Possible Dangers

In-depth negotiations on the mission mandate, including its command and control, started formally on last week in the UN headquarters, and look likely to be lengthy – potentially creating the emergence of a power gap in the strip that may empower militant factions.

The United States is proposing that it lead the force although it will not have a large number of troops deployed on the ground. It has previously effectively taken control of the delivery of relief supplies into Gaza from a new civil military coordination centre based in Israel.

Force Mandate and Administrative Role

The proposed American document defines the aim of the stabilisation force as “along with the recently prepared and screened police force to help secure border areas, stabilise the safety situation in the region by ensuring the procedure of demilitarising the territory including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding the military terror and hostile facilities as well as the lasting removal of arms from non-state armed groups”.

The mission, answerable to a “peace council” chaired by Donald Trump, and not to the United Nations, would be mandated to use “all necessary measures” to achieve its goals.

Arab states including Qatari officials are also concerned that this authority is too expansive, and if Hamas is to lay down arms, the faction will only do so to local counterparts, likely in the local law enforcement, at a moment that, from the militant perspective, signifies the conclusion of occupation.

They also worry the proposed authority spills into granting the mission a governance role in the territory, a task that was to be set aside for a local technocratic committee working in cooperation with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Aid Considerations and Funding Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip would remain until “the local government has satisfactorily finished its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the draft states. It also “underscores the importance” of unhindered relief in Gaza, including through the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the humanitarian organizations.

Nonetheless, it opens the door the removal of “any organisation found to have misused such assistance”. The wording permits the board of peace barring Unrwa, the body that the global judicial body has said is the legal distributor of aid.

Global Political Efforts

French officials and Saudi Arabia are already advocating for a mention to a Palestinian state to be added in the document. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled 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 prerequisite.

The PA chair, Mahmoud Abbas, held talks with the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on this week to discuss the PA role.

Not the United Nations nor the 15 strong UNSC are assigned a oversight role over the mission, monitoring the implementation of the resolution, a aspect mostly ignored by the draft text. No details is specified about the financing of this stabilisation mission, which, according to the US officials, should be largely borne by Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia assuming primary responsibility.

Israeli Requests and Regional Developments

Israel is seeking written guarantees from the US that it be allowed to follow the pattern of Lebanon and retain the right to return to Gaza if it considers disarmament is not occurring at a level or pace it demands.

The request was presented to the former US advisor, the ex-president's relative, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on Monday to review developments on the truce and Witkoff was due to appear subsequently the same day.

Only the bodies of four of the original 251 Israeli hostages are still not recovered.

Independently, Israel has been proposing that the territory could yet be divided in two with rebuilding efforts starting in the Israel occupied areas of the strip. International officials insist that this is not part of the Trump plan.