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Plans for an multinational stabilisation force authorized by the UN to disarm Hamas in Gaza are encountering growing opposition after the United Arab Emirates announced it would not join due to the lack of a well-defined legal structure.

Increasing Global Reservations

Israeli authorities have previously ruled out Turkey participation, and Jordan's King Abdullah has declared that Jordanian troops will not participate. Azerbaijan, previously considered as a possible contributor, did not attend a preparatory session in Turkey and said it would not contribute unless a complete truce was in place.

Emirati officials does not yet see a defined framework for the stabilisation force and under such circumstances declines involvement, but will support all political initiatives towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Regional Skepticism and Legal Issues

The Emirati announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in Abu Dhabi, reflects Arab doubts about the terms of a US-drafted document already circulated to delegates at the UN in New York. The draft places an onus on a American-led stabilisation force to be the primary means of ensuring security in the territory after Israeli forces have left the region.

Arab states would prefer greater duties to be assigned to a separate local civilian police force. International law would also forbid external forces from entering occupied Palestine unless there was explicit local approval; without it, the mission could be viewed as imposed under international statutes, and arguably stabilising an unlawful presence.

Local Perspectives and Appeals for Clarity

Jamal Nusseibeh of the ceasefire proposal commented: “It is essential that the force be deployed not to reinforce the unlawful presence, but to enforce international law and terminate it. The mission will succeed as long as it operates in the whole disputed land, including the West Bank, at the request of Palestine, and has a clear objective to end the occupation within the framework of a independent state of Palestine.”

There is no reference to the West Bank in the US draft resolution, or to a Palestinian state, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israel opposes.

Ongoing Negotiations and Possible Risks

Detailed talks on the stabilisation force mandate, including its command and control, started officially on last week in New York, and appear to be protracted – potentially creating the development 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 personnel deployed on the ground. It has previously in effect taken control of the delivery of humanitarian aid into the territory from a new civil military coordination centre based in the neighboring country.

Mission Objectives and Administrative Role

The draft US resolution defines the purpose of the stabilisation force as “along with the recently prepared and vetted law enforcement to help secure frontier zones, secure the security environment in Gaza by guaranteeing the process of demilitarising the territory including the elimination and blocking of reconstructing the militant and hostile facilities as well as the lasting removal of arms from militant factions”.

The mission, reporting to a “peace council” led by the former US president, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its objectives.

Arab states including Qatar are also concerned that this mandate is overly broad, and if Hamas is to disarm, the faction will only do so to fellow Palestinians, probably in the local law enforcement, at a time that, from the militant perspective, signifies the conclusion of Israeli presence.

They also fear the draft mandate extends to granting the mission a governance role in the territory, a responsibility that was to be reserved for a Palestinian technocratic committee working in cooperation with a restructured Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Considerations and Financial Issues

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip would remain until “the Palestinian Authority has satisfactorily finished its reform program, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the proposal states. It also “emphasizes the importance” of full relief in the territory, including through the UN, the ICRC, and the humanitarian organizations.

Nonetheless, it allows for the exclusion of “any group found to have misused such assistance”. The wording leaves open the board of peace barring the UN relief agency, the organization that the global judicial body has ruled is the legal provider of assistance.

International Political Efforts

French officials and Saudi representatives are already pressing for a reference to a Palestinian state to be included in the resolution. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the US presidential residence on 18 November, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has said that a reference to a independent Palestine is a requirement.

The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris on Monday to discuss the PA role.

Neither the UN nor the 15 strong security council are given a oversight role over the mission, supervising the execution of the resolution, a aspect mostly ignored by the proposed document. Nothing is specified about the funding of this security operation, which, according to the US officials, should be mostly covered by Gulf states, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Requests and Local Developments

Israeli authorities is seeking written guarantees from the United States that it be permitted to follow the model of Lebanon and reserve the right to return to Gaza if it believes demilitarization is not occurring at a level or pace it demands.

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

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

Separately, Israel has been suggesting that the territory could yet be split in two parts with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israeli-controlled parts of the strip. International officials insist that this is no part of the former US administration's proposal.