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Plans for an multinational security mission authorized by the United Nations to demilitarize the militant group in Gaza are encountering increasing resistance after the United Arab Emirates stated it would not join due to the absence of a well-defined legal structure.

Growing International Reservations

Israel have previously excluded Turkey involvement, and Jordan's King Abdullah has stated that Jordanian forces will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, once considered as a possible participant, was absent from a preparatory session in Turkey and said it would not contribute unless a complete ceasefire was established.

The UAE lacks clarity on a clear framework for the stability force and in this situation declines involvement, but backs all diplomatic efforts towards resolution – and stay at the forefront of relief efforts.

Regional Doubts and Juridical Issues

The Emirati announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, highlights Arab reservations about the terms of a American-proposed document already distributed to delegates at the UN in NYC. The proposal assigns responsibility on a American-led stabilisation force to be the principal means of ensuring order in Gaza after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the territory.

Regional governments would prefer expanded duties to be assigned to a distinct local civilian police force. International law would also prohibit foreign troops from entering contested Palestine unless there was clear local approval; otherwise, the mission could be viewed as imposed under international statutes, and arguably reinforcing an illegal Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Perspectives and Appeals for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan commented: “It is critical that the force be deployed not to stabilise the illegal presence, but to enforce international law and end it. The force will work as long as it operates in the whole disputed land, including the West Bank, at the invitation of the Palestinian authorities, and has a clear goal to end the presence within the context of a independent Palestinian state.”

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 Israel opposes.

Ongoing Negotiations and Possible Dangers

Detailed talks on the stabilisation force authority, including its leadership structure, 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 strengthen militant factions.

The United States is suggesting that it lead the mission although it will not have many troops involved on the ground. It has already effectively assumed command of the distribution of humanitarian aid into the territory from a new civil military coordination centre based in Israel.

Mission Mandate and Governance Role

The proposed US resolution defines the aim of the stabilisation force as “along with the newly trained and screened law enforcement to assist in protecting frontier zones, stabilise the safety situation in the region by guaranteeing the procedure of demilitarising the territory including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding the militant and offensive infrastructure as well as the permanent decommissioning of weapons from militant factions”.

The force, answerable to a “peace council” led by the former US president, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “any required actions” to achieve its goals.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also worried that this authority is overly broad, and if the group is to disarm, the group will only do so to fellow Palestinians, probably in the civilian police force, at a moment 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 role in the territory, a responsibility that was to be reserved for a local technocratic committee working in conjunction with a reformed local government.

Aid Considerations and Financial Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in Gaza would remain until “the local government has satisfactorily finished its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the draft states. It also “underscores the importance” of full relief in Gaza, including through the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it opens the door the exclusion of “any group determined to have misused such aid”. The phrase leaves open the council excluding Unrwa, the organization that the global judicial body has ruled is the lawful provider of aid.

Global Political Efforts

France and Saudi representatives are already pressing for a mention to a Palestinian state to be included in the document. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on the specified date, and Manal Radwan has said that a reference to a independent Palestine is a prerequisite.

The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, held talks with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on Monday to discuss the authority's function.

Neither the UN nor the 15-member UNSC are assigned a supervisory role over the mission, monitoring the implementation of the proposal, a aspect mostly overlooked by the proposed document. Nothing is outlined about the funding of this stabilisation mission, which, according to the Americans, should be mostly borne by regional nations, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Requests and Local Situations

Israel is requesting written guarantees from the US that it be permitted to follow the model of Lebanon and reserve the right to re-enter the territory if it believes disarmament is not taking place at a level or pace it requires.

The request was put to Jared Kushner, the ex-president's relative, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on this week to review developments on the ceasefire and Witkoff was due to appear later the same day.

Only the remains of a small number of the initial 251 Israeli hostages remain unreturned.

Independently, Israel has been proposing that the territory could yet be split in two parts with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israel occupied parts of the strip. International officials insist that this is no part of the Trump plan.