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Plans for an international stabilisation force mandated by the United Nations to demilitarize the militant group in Gaza are facing growing opposition after the UAE stated it would not join due to the absence of a well-defined legal framework.

Growing International Concerns

Israeli authorities have already ruled out Turkish involvement, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that Jordanian troops will not join. Azerbaijan, once considered as a potential contributor, did not attend a preparatory session in Turkey and indicated it would not contribute unless a complete ceasefire was in place.

The UAE lacks clarity on a clear framework for the stability mission and under such circumstances declines involvement, but will support all diplomatic initiatives towards resolution – and stay at the forefront of relief efforts.

Arab Doubts and Legal Concerns

The UAE's decision, made by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, reflects Arab reservations about the terms of a American-proposed resolution previously distributed to delegates at the UN in NYC. The proposal assigns responsibility on a US-directed security mission to be the principal means of imposing order in Gaza after Israel have left the region.

Arab states would like greater duties to be given to a separate Palestinian civilian police force. Global jurisprudence would also forbid external forces from deploying into occupied Palestine unless there was clear Palestinian consent; otherwise, the force could be viewed as imposed under UN law, and arguably stabilising an illegal Israeli occupation.

Local Viewpoints and Appeals for Clarity

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal commented: “It is critical that the force be deployed not to stabilise the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to enforce 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 presence within the context of a sovereign Palestinian state.”

There is no mention to the occupied territories in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a outcome that Israel opposes.

Ongoing Negotiations and Potential Risks

Detailed talks on the mission authority, including its command and control, started formally on last week in the UN headquarters, and appear to be protracted – risking the development of a vacuum in the strip that may strengthen militant factions.

The United States is proposing that it command the force although it will not have a large number of troops deployed on the terrain. It has already effectively taken control of the delivery of relief supplies into the territory from a new logistical hub based in Israel.

Force Objectives and Governance Role

The draft American document outlines the aim of the security mission as “along with the newly trained and screened police force to help secure frontier zones, stabilise the safety situation in the region by ensuring the process 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 militant factions”.

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

Regional powers including Qatar are also worried that this authority is overly broad, and if Hamas is to lay down arms, the group will solely do so to fellow Palestinians, probably in the local law enforcement, at a time that, from the militant perspective, marks the end of Israeli presence.

They also worry the draft mandate spills into giving the stabilisation force a governance function in Gaza, a task that was to be set aside for a Palestinian expert panel working in conjunction with a reformed local government.

Humanitarian Considerations and Funding Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in Gaza would stay until “the local government has satisfactorily completed its reform program, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the draft states. It also “underscores the significance” of full relief in the territory, including through the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent.

However, it opens the door the removal of “any organisation determined to have improperly used such aid”. The wording permits the council excluding Unrwa, the body that the international court of justice has ruled is the lawful distributor of aid.

Global Diplomatic Efforts

French officials and Saudi Arabia are already advocating for a mention to a Palestinian state to be added in the resolution. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the US presidential residence on the specified date, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has said that a reference to a Palestinian state is a prerequisite.

The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris on Monday to review the authority's function.

Not the United Nations nor the 15 strong security council are assigned a oversight function over the mission, monitoring the execution of the proposal, a point largely overlooked by the proposed document. Nothing is specified about the funding of this stabilisation mission, which, according to the US officials, should be largely borne by Gulf states, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israeli Requests and Local Developments

Israel is requesting formal assurances from the United States that it be permitted to follow the model of the Lebanese situation and reserve the authority to re-enter the territory if it believes demilitarization is not occurring at a scale or pace it demands.

The request was put to the former US advisor, Donald Trump’s relative, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in the Israeli capital on Monday to review developments on the ceasefire and the envoy was scheduled to arrive later the same day.

Just the remains of a small number of the initial hundreds of Israeli hostages are still not recovered.

Independently, Israel has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could yet be split in two parts with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israel occupied parts of the region. International officials maintain that this is no part of the former US administration's proposal.