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Plans for an international stabilisation force authorized by the UN to disarm Hamas in the Gaza Strip are facing increasing opposition after the UAE announced it will not take part due to the absence of a well-defined legal structure.

Increasing International Concerns

Israeli authorities have previously excluded Turkey participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that Jordanian forces will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, previously considered as a potential participant, was absent from a preparatory session in Turkey and said it would not take part unless a complete ceasefire was established.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a defined framework for the stability force and under such circumstances declines involvement, but will support all political efforts towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of relief efforts.

Arab Skepticism and Juridical Issues

The UAE's announcement, made by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, reflects regional reservations about the provisions of a US-drafted resolution already distributed to delegates at the UN in NYC. The draft places an onus on a US-directed stabilisation force to be the principal means of imposing order in the territory after Israel have left the territory.

Regional governments would like greater duties to be assigned to a separate Palestinian civilian police force. International law would also forbid foreign troops from deploying into contested Palestine unless there was explicit Palestinian consent; otherwise, the force could be seen as coercive under international statutes, and potentially reinforcing an illegal Israeli occupation.

Local Viewpoints and Appeals for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan commented: “It is critical that the mission be sent not to reinforce the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to uphold international law and end 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 clear objective to conclude the occupation within the context of a independent Palestinian state.”

There is no mention to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a Palestinian state, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israel opposes.

Continuing Discussions and Possible Dangers

Detailed negotiations on the mission authority, including its command and control, started formally on Thursday in New York, and appear to be lengthy – potentially creating the development of a vacuum in Gaza that may strengthen militant factions.

The US is suggesting that it lead the mission although it will not have many personnel involved on the terrain. It has previously in effect assumed command of the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new logistical hub based in the neighboring country.

Force Mandate and Governance Function

The draft American document outlines the purpose of the security mission as “along with the newly trained and vetted police force to assist in protecting border areas, secure the security environment in the region by guaranteeing the process of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the elimination and blocking of reconstructing the militant and offensive infrastructure as well as the permanent decommissioning of arms from militant factions”.

The mission, answerable to a “board of peace” chaired by Donald Trump, and not to the UN, would be required to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its goals.

Arab states 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 time that, from the militant viewpoint, signifies the end of occupation.

They also worry the draft mandate extends to granting the mission a governance function in Gaza, a responsibility that was to be reserved for a Palestinian expert panel working in conjunction with a restructured local government.

Aid Aspects and Financial Issues

This “interim authority” in the strip would stay until “the Palestinian Authority has adequately finished its restructuring plan, the satisfaction of which shall be approved to the BoP”, the draft says. It also “emphasizes the significance” of full humanitarian aid in Gaza, including through the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it opens the door the removal of “any group found to have improperly used such aid”. The phrase leaves open the board of peace barring Unrwa, the body that the international court of justice has ruled is the legal distributor of aid.

International Diplomatic Initiatives

France and Saudi Arabia are already advocating for a mention to a sovereign Palestine to be included in the resolution. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the White House on 18 November, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has said that a mention to a Palestinian state is a prerequisite.

The PA chair, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on Monday to discuss the PA role.

Neither the United Nations nor the 15 strong security council are assigned a supervisory function over the stabilisation force, supervising the execution of the proposal, a aspect mostly overlooked by the proposed document. Nothing is outlined about the financing of this security operation, which, according to the Americans, should be mostly covered by Gulf states, with the Kingdom taking the lead.

Israeli Requests and Local Situations

Israel is requesting formal assurances from the US that it be allowed to emulate the model of Lebanon and reserve the right to return to Gaza if it considers demilitarization is not occurring at a level or pace it requires.

The request was presented to the former US advisor, Donald Trump’s relative, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in Jerusalem on this week to review developments on the ceasefire and Witkoff was due to appear later the same day.

Just the remains of a small number of the original 251 Israeli hostages are still unreturned.

Separately, Israeli officials has been proposing that the territory could yet be divided in two with reconstruction work starting in the Israeli-controlled areas of the region. International officials insist that this is not part of the former US administration's proposal.