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Plans for an multinational stabilisation force mandated by the UN to demilitarize Hamas in Gaza are facing growing opposition after the United Arab Emirates announced it will not join due to the lack of a well-defined legal framework.

Growing International Reservations

Israeli authorities have already ruled out Turkey participation, and Jordan's King Abdullah has declared that his country's troops will not participate. Azerbaijan, once mooted as a potential contributor, did not attend a preparatory session in Istanbul and indicated it would not contribute unless a full ceasefire was in place.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a clear framework for the stabilisation force and in this situation will not participate, but will support all diplomatic efforts towards resolution – and stay at the forefront of relief efforts.

Arab Doubts and Legal Concerns

The UAE's announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in Abu Dhabi, reflects Arab doubts about the provisions of a American-proposed resolution already circulated to diplomats at the UN in New York. The proposal places an onus on a American-led security mission to be the principal means of ensuring order in Gaza after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the region.

Arab states would prefer expanded responsibilities to be assigned to a distinct Palestinian law enforcement agency. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit foreign troops from entering occupied Palestinian territories unless there was clear local approval; without it, the force could be seen as coercive under UN law, and potentially reinforcing an illegal Israeli occupation.

Local Viewpoints and Appeals for Clarity

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal commented: “It is essential that the force be deployed not to reinforce the illegal Israeli occupation, but to uphold global standards and end it. The force will succeed as long as it operates in the entire occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a defined goal to conclude the presence within the framework of a independent Palestinian state.”

The draft contains no reference to the occupied territories in the US draft resolution, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a outcome that Israeli leadership opposes.

Continuing Negotiations and Possible Risks

In-depth negotiations on the mission mandate, including its command and control, began officially on last week in the UN headquarters, and appear to be lengthy – potentially creating the emergence of a vacuum in the strip that may empower militant factions.

The US is suggesting that it command the force although it will not have a large number of personnel involved on the ground. It has previously in effect taken control of the distribution of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new civil military coordination centre based in Israel.

Force Objectives and Administrative Role

The proposed US resolution outlines the aim of the security mission as “along with the newly trained and vetted police force to assist in protecting border areas, stabilise the security environment in Gaza by ensuring the procedure of disarming the Gaza Strip including the destruction and prevention of reconstructing the militant and offensive infrastructure as well as the lasting decommissioning of arms from militant factions”.

The force, answerable to a “board of peace” led by the former US president, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “all necessary measures” to achieve its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also worried that this mandate is overly broad, and if Hamas is to disarm, the faction will solely do so to local counterparts, likely in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the militant perspective, marks the conclusion of Israeli presence.

They also worry the draft mandate extends to granting the mission a administrative role in Gaza, a task that was to be reserved for a local expert panel working in cooperation with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Considerations and Funding Questions

This “interim authority” in the strip would remain until “the local government has adequately finished its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the draft says. It also “emphasizes the significance” of full relief in the territory, including through the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it allows for the exclusion of “any organisation determined to have misused such assistance”. The phrase leaves open the board of peace barring the UN relief agency, the organization that the international court of justice has ruled is the legal distributor of aid.

Global Diplomatic Initiatives

French officials and Saudi representatives are already pressing for a reference 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 stated that a mention to a Palestinian state is a prerequisite.

The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, met 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 security council are assigned a supervisory function over the stabilisation force, monitoring the execution of the proposal, a point largely ignored by the proposed document. Nothing is outlined about the financing of this security operation, which, according to the Americans, should be largely borne by Gulf states, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Requests and Regional Situations

Israel is seeking formal assurances from the United States that it be allowed to follow the model of Lebanon and retain the right to re-enter Gaza if it considers disarmament is not occurring at a scale or speed it requires.

The Israeli proposal was presented to Jared Kushner, the ex-president's son-in-law, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in Jerusalem on Monday to discuss developments on the ceasefire and Witkoff was scheduled to arrive subsequently the that day.

Just the bodies of a small number of the initial 251 captives remain unreturned.

Separately, Israel has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could still be divided in two with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israeli-controlled parts of the region. International officials insist that this is not part of the Trump plan.