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Plans for an international stabilisation force mandated by the United Nations to disarm the militant group in the Gaza Strip are encountering growing opposition after the UAE stated it will not join due to the lack of a well-defined legal structure.

Increasing Global Reservations

Israel have already ruled out Turkey involvement, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that Jordanian forces will not join. The Azerbaijani government, previously considered as a possible participant, was absent from a preparatory meeting in Istanbul and indicated it would not contribute unless a full ceasefire was established.

The UAE does not yet see a defined framework for the stability force and in this situation will not participate, but backs all political efforts towards resolution – and stay at the forefront of relief efforts.

Regional Doubts and Legal Concerns

The Emirati announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, reflects regional reservations about the terms of a US-drafted resolution previously distributed to delegates at the UN in NYC. The proposal assigns responsibility on a US-directed security mission to be the principal means of ensuring security in the territory after Israel have withdrawn from the territory.

Regional governments would prefer expanded responsibilities to be assigned to a distinct Palestinian civilian police force. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit external forces from entering occupied Palestine unless there was clear local approval; otherwise, the mission could be seen as imposed under UN law, and potentially reinforcing an unlawful Israeli occupation.

Local Perspectives and Calls for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan said: “It is essential that the force be sent not to stabilise the illegal presence, but to enforce global standards and terminate it. The force will succeed as long as it operates in the entire disputed land, including the occupied territories, at the request of Palestine, and has a clear goal to end the presence within the context of a sovereign state of Palestine.”

There is no reference 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 mandate, including its leadership structure, started formally on last week in the UN headquarters, and appear to be lengthy – risking the development of a vacuum in the strip that may strengthen militant factions.

The United States is suggesting that it command the mission although it will not have many troops involved on the ground. It has previously in effect assumed command of the distribution of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new logistical hub based in Israel.

Force Objectives and Governance Role

The proposed American document outlines the aim of the stabilisation force as “along with the recently prepared and screened law enforcement to assist in protecting border areas, secure the security environment in the region by guaranteeing the process of disarming the territory including the destruction and blocking of rebuilding the militant and hostile facilities as well as the permanent removal of arms from militant factions”.

The force, reporting to a “peace council” chaired by the former US president, and not to the UN, would be mandated to use “any required actions” to achieve 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 faction will solely do so to fellow Palestinians, likely in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the militant viewpoint, marks the conclusion of occupation.

They also fear the draft mandate spills into giving the mission a administrative function in the territory, a responsibility that was to be set aside for a Palestinian technocratic committee working in conjunction with a restructured local government.

Aid Considerations and Financial Questions

This “interim authority” in the strip would stay until “the Palestinian Authority has satisfactorily finished its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be approved to the BoP”, the proposal states. It also “emphasizes the importance” of full relief in the territory, including through the United Nations, the ICRC, and the Red Crescent.

However, it opens the door the exclusion of “any group found to have misused such aid”. The phrase leaves open the board of peace barring Unrwa, the organization that the global judicial body has ruled is the lawful provider of aid.

Global Diplomatic Efforts

French officials and Saudi representatives are currently advocating for a mention to a Palestinian state to be included in the document. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the US presidential residence on 18 November, and Manal Radwan has said that a reference to a independent Palestine is a requirement.

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

Not the UN nor the 15-member security council are given a supervisory role over the stabilisation force, supervising the implementation of the resolution, a point mostly overlooked by the proposed document. Nothing is specified about the financing of this security operation, which, as per the US officials, should be largely borne by regional nations, with Saudi Arabia assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Demands and Regional Situations

Israeli authorities is requesting written guarantees from the United States that it be allowed to emulate the pattern of Lebanon and reserve the authority to return to Gaza if it believes demilitarization is not occurring at a level or pace it requires.

The Israeli proposal was put to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s relative, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on this week to discuss developments on the truce and the envoy was due to appear later the same day.

Just the bodies of a small number of the initial 251 captives remain not recovered.

Separately, Israel has been suggesting that the territory could yet be split in two parts with reconstruction work starting in the Israeli-controlled areas of the strip. International officials maintain that this is not part of the former US administration's proposal.