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Plans for an international stabilisation force authorized by the UN to demilitarize the militant group in Gaza are encountering increasing resistance after the UAE stated it will not take part due to the absence of a clear legal framework.

Growing Global Reservations

Israeli authorities have previously excluded Turkey participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that his country's forces will not participate. Azerbaijan, once mooted as a possible contributor, did not attend a planning session in Istanbul and said it would not take part unless a full truce was established.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a clear structure for the stability mission and in this situation will not participate, but backs all political initiatives towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of relief efforts.

Arab Skepticism and Legal Issues

The UAE's decision, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, highlights Arab doubts about the provisions of a US-drafted resolution previously distributed to diplomats at the UN in New York. The draft places an onus on a American-led stabilisation force to be the primary means of imposing security in the territory after Israel have withdrawn from the region.

Arab states would like greater responsibilities to be given to a distinct local civilian police force. Global jurisprudence would also forbid foreign troops from deploying into occupied Palestinian territories unless there was explicit Palestinian consent; otherwise, the force could be viewed as imposed under UN law, and arguably stabilising an illegal presence.

Local Perspectives and Appeals for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is critical that the mission be sent not to reinforce the illegal presence, but to enforce global standards and terminate it. The mission will work as long as it enters the whole disputed land, including the West Bank, at the request of the Palestinian authorities, and has a defined goal to end the occupation within the framework of a independent state of Palestine.”

There is no mention to the occupied territories in the US draft resolution, or to a Palestinian state, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israeli leadership opposes.

Continuing Discussions and Potential Dangers

In-depth negotiations on the mission authority, including its command and control, started officially on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and look likely to be lengthy – potentially creating the emergence of a power gap in the strip that may empower Hamas.

The US is proposing that it command the force although it will not have many troops involved on the ground. It has already in effect assumed command of the delivery of humanitarian aid into the territory from a new logistical hub based in the neighboring country.

Mission Objectives and Governance Function

The proposed American document outlines the purpose of the stabilisation force as “together with the newly trained and vetted police force to help secure frontier zones, secure the safety situation in Gaza by ensuring the procedure of demilitarising the territory including the destruction and prevention of reconstructing the militant and hostile facilities as well as the permanent removal of arms from non-state armed groups”.

The force, answerable to a “peace council” chaired by the former US president, and not to the UN, would be mandated to use “any required actions” to fulfill its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also worried that this authority is too expansive, and if the group is to lay down arms, the group will only do so to fellow Palestinians, probably in the civilian police force, at a moment that, from the Hamas perspective, signifies the end of occupation.

They also fear the proposed authority extends to granting the mission 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 Aspects and Financial Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in Gaza would stay until “the local government has satisfactorily completed its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the draft states. It also “emphasizes the importance” of unhindered humanitarian aid in the territory, including through the UN, the ICRC, and the Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it allows for the removal of “any group found to have improperly used such assistance”. The phrase permits the board of peace excluding Unrwa, the body that the global judicial body has said is the lawful provider of assistance.

Global Political Efforts

French officials and Saudi Arabia are currently pressing for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be included in the resolution. 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 reference 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 discuss the PA role.

Neither the UN nor the 15 strong UNSC are assigned a supervisory function over the mission, monitoring the implementation of the proposal, a point largely overlooked by the draft text. No details is outlined about the funding of this security operation, which, according to the Americans, should be mostly covered by Gulf states, with the Kingdom taking the lead.

Israeli Demands and Regional Situations

Israeli authorities is requesting formal assurances from the United States that it be permitted to emulate the pattern of the Lebanese situation and reserve the right to return to the territory if it believes demilitarization is not taking place at a level or pace it requires.

The Israeli proposal was presented to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s relative, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in Jerusalem on Monday to discuss developments on the truce and Witkoff was due to arrive later the same day.

Just the remains of a small number of the initial 251 captives are still not recovered.

Independently, Israel has been suggesting that the territory could still be split in two with reconstruction work starting in the Israeli-controlled parts of the strip. Western diplomats maintain that this is not part of the Trump plan.