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Plans for an international security mission authorized by the United Nations to demilitarize the militant group in Gaza are encountering increasing resistance after the UAE announced it would not join due to the absence of a clear legal framework.

Increasing Global Reservations

Israeli authorities have already excluded Turkey involvement, and Jordan's King Abdullah has stated that his country's forces will not participate. Azerbaijan, once considered as a potential participant, was absent from a preparatory meeting in Turkey and indicated it would not take part unless a complete truce was in place.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a defined structure for the stabilisation mission and under such circumstances declines involvement, but backs all political initiatives towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of relief efforts.

Regional Skepticism and Legal Issues

The UAE's announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in Abu Dhabi, highlights Arab doubts about the provisions of a American-proposed resolution already distributed to delegates at the UN in NYC. The draft assigns responsibility on a US-directed stabilisation force to be the primary means of imposing order in Gaza after Israeli forces have left the region.

Arab states would prefer greater responsibilities to be given to a distinct local civilian police force. International law would also forbid foreign troops from entering occupied Palestinian territories unless there was explicit local approval; otherwise, the mission could be seen as imposed under international statutes, and arguably stabilising an illegal presence.

Local Viewpoints and Calls for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is critical that the force be deployed not to reinforce the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to uphold global standards and end it. The force will succeed as long as it enters the entire disputed land, including the occupied territories, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a defined objective to conclude the occupation within the context of a sovereign state of Palestine.”

There is no reference to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a Palestinian state, or a peaceful resolution, a outcome that Israeli leadership rejects.

Ongoing Discussions and Possible Dangers

Detailed negotiations on the stabilisation force mandate, including its command and control, started formally on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and appear to be lengthy – potentially creating the development of a power gap in Gaza that may empower Hamas.

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

Mission Objectives and Administrative Role

The draft American document defines the purpose of the security mission as “together with the recently prepared and screened law enforcement to help secure frontier zones, secure the safety situation in the region by ensuring the procedure of disarming the Gaza Strip including the elimination and prevention of rebuilding the militant and offensive infrastructure as well as the lasting removal of weapons from non-state armed groups”.

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

Arab states including Qatari officials are also worried that this authority is overly broad, and if Hamas is to disarm, the faction will solely do so to fellow Palestinians, likely in the local law enforcement, at a moment that, from the militant viewpoint, marks the end of Israeli presence.

They also worry the proposed authority extends to granting the mission a governance function in Gaza, a task that was to be reserved for a local technocratic committee working in conjunction with a reformed local government.

Humanitarian Aspects and Funding Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in Gaza would stay until “the Palestinian Authority has adequately completed its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the draft says. It also “underscores the importance” of full humanitarian aid in Gaza, including through the United Nations, the ICRC, and the Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it allows for the exclusion of “any organisation found to have improperly used such aid”. The phrase leaves open the council excluding Unrwa, the organization that the global judicial body has said is the lawful provider of aid.

Global Political Initiatives

France and Saudi representatives are currently pressing 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 independent Palestine is a prerequisite.

The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris on this week to discuss the authority's function.

Not the United Nations nor the 15-member security council are given a supervisory role over the stabilisation force, supervising the implementation of the proposal, a point mostly overlooked by the draft text. No details is outlined about the funding of this stabilisation mission, which, as per the US officials, should be mostly covered by Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia taking the lead.

Israel's Requests and Local Situations

Israel is requesting written guarantees from the US that it be allowed to follow the pattern of Lebanon and retain the right to re-enter the territory if it considers disarmament is not taking place at a level or pace it demands.

The request was presented to Jared Kushner, the ex-president's son-in-law, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on this week to review progress on the truce and Witkoff was due to arrive later the same day.

Just the remains of four of the initial 251 captives are still unreturned.

Separately, Israel has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could still be divided in two with reconstruction work starting in the Israel occupied areas of the strip. Western diplomats insist that this is not part of the former US administration's proposal.