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Plans for an multinational stabilisation force authorized by the United Nations to demilitarize the militant group in Gaza are facing growing resistance after the United Arab Emirates announced it would not join due to the lack of a clear legal framework.

Growing International Concerns

Israel have previously ruled out Turkish participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that Jordanian troops will not participate. Azerbaijan, previously mooted as a possible participant, did not attend a planning session in Istanbul and said it would not contribute unless a complete ceasefire was established.

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

Regional Doubts and Juridical Concerns

The UAE's decision, made by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, reflects regional doubts about the provisions of a US-drafted resolution previously distributed to diplomats at the UN in NYC. The draft places an onus on a US-directed stabilisation force to be the primary means of ensuring security in the territory after Israel have left the territory.

Regional governments would like greater duties to be assigned to a distinct Palestinian civilian police force. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit foreign troops from entering occupied Palestinian territories unless there was explicit local approval; without it, the force could be viewed as imposed under UN law, and arguably stabilising an illegal presence.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Calls for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is critical that the force be sent not to reinforce the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to enforce global standards and terminate it. The mission will succeed as long as it enters the whole occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the request of Palestine, and has a clear goal to end the occupation within the framework of a sovereign state of Palestine.”

The draft contains no mention to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a Palestinian state, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israeli leadership rejects.

Continuing Discussions and Potential Risks

In-depth negotiations on the mission mandate, including its leadership structure, began formally on last week in New York, and look likely to be lengthy – potentially creating the emergence of a vacuum in Gaza that may strengthen militant factions.

The United States is proposing that it lead the force although it will not have a large number of troops involved on the ground. It has already effectively assumed command of the delivery of relief supplies into the territory from a recently established logistical hub based in the neighboring country.

Mission Mandate and Governance Role

The draft American document outlines the aim of the security mission as “along with the newly trained and vetted law enforcement to help secure border areas, stabilise the safety situation in Gaza by guaranteeing the procedure of disarming the territory including the elimination and prevention of rebuilding the militant and hostile facilities as well as the lasting decommissioning of arms from non-state armed groups”.

The force, reporting to a “board of peace” chaired by Donald Trump, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “any required actions” to achieve its goals.

Regional powers including Qatar are also concerned that this authority is overly broad, and if the group is to lay down arms, the faction will only do so to fellow Palestinians, probably in the civilian police force, at a moment that, from the Hamas viewpoint, signifies the conclusion of occupation.

They also worry the draft mandate extends to granting the mission a governance function in Gaza, a task that was to be set aside for a local technocratic committee working in conjunction with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Aid Considerations and Funding Issues

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip would stay until “the local government has adequately completed its reform program, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the proposal says. It also “underscores the importance” of full relief in Gaza, including through the UN, the ICRC, and the humanitarian organizations.

However, it allows for the exclusion of “any organisation found to have misused such aid”. The phrase leaves open the council barring the UN relief agency, the body that the international court of justice has ruled is the legal provider of aid.

Global Diplomatic Efforts

French officials and Saudi representatives are already advocating for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be included in the document. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on 18 November, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has stated that a mention to a Palestinian state is a prerequisite.

The PA chair, Mahmoud Abbas, held talks with the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on Monday to review the PA role.

Not the United Nations nor the 15 strong security council are given a supervisory role over the stabilisation force, supervising the implementation of the proposal, a aspect largely overlooked by the proposed document. No details is outlined about the funding of this stabilisation mission, which, as per the US officials, should be mostly borne by regional nations, with Saudi Arabia taking the lead.

Israel's Requests and Local Developments

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 demilitarization is not occurring at a level or speed it demands.

The Israeli proposal was presented to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’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 the envoy was due to appear subsequently the that day.

Just the bodies of four of the original hundreds of Israeli hostages remain not recovered.

Independently, Israeli officials has been proposing that the territory could still be split in two with rebuilding efforts starting in the Israeli-controlled parts of the region. Western diplomats maintain that this is not part of the Trump plan.