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Plans for an international stabilisation force mandated by the UN to demilitarize Hamas in Gaza are facing growing opposition after the UAE announced it will not join due to the absence of a well-defined legal framework.

Growing Global Reservations

Israel have already ruled out Turkey involvement, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that Jordanian forces will not participate. Azerbaijan, previously considered as a possible contributor, was absent from a preparatory session in Turkey and indicated it would not contribute unless a complete truce was established.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a defined structure for the stability force and in this situation will not participate, but backs all political initiatives towards peace – and stay at the forefront of relief efforts.

Regional Doubts and Legal Concerns

The UAE's 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 resolution already circulated to delegates at the UN in NYC. The proposal assigns responsibility on a US-directed security mission to be the principal means of imposing order in Gaza after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the territory.

Arab states would prefer greater duties to be assigned to a separate local law enforcement agency. International law would also forbid external forces from deploying into contested Palestinian territories unless there was clear local approval; without it, the force could be viewed as imposed under international statutes, and potentially stabilising an unlawful Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Perspectives and Calls for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan commented: “It is essential that the mission be sent not to stabilise the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to enforce global standards and end it. The force will work as long as it operates in the whole occupied territory, including the occupied territories, at the request of the Palestinian authorities, and has a clear objective to end the occupation within the framework of a independent Palestinian state.”

There is no mention to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israel rejects.

Ongoing Negotiations and Potential Dangers

Detailed talks on the stabilisation force authority, including its command and control, began formally on Thursday in New York, and look likely to be lengthy – risking the emergence of a power gap in the strip that may strengthen militant factions.

The US is proposing that it lead the mission although it will not have a large number of personnel deployed on the ground. It has already in effect taken control of the distribution of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new civil military coordination centre based in Israel.

Mission Objectives and Administrative Function

The draft US resolution defines the purpose of the security mission as “together with the recently prepared and screened law enforcement to assist in protecting border areas, secure the security environment in Gaza by guaranteeing the process of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the elimination and prevention of rebuilding the military terror and hostile facilities as well as the lasting decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups”.

The mission, answerable to a “peace council” chaired by Donald Trump, and not to the UN, would be required to use “any required actions” to achieve its objectives.

Arab states including Qatari officials are also concerned that this authority is too expansive, and if Hamas is to lay down arms, the faction will solely do so to local counterparts, probably in the civilian police force, at a moment that, from the Hamas viewpoint, signifies the conclusion of Israeli presence.

They also fear the proposed authority extends to granting the mission a governance role in the territory, a task that was to be set aside for a Palestinian technocratic committee working in cooperation with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Considerations and Financial Issues

This “interim authority” in Gaza would remain until “the Palestinian Authority has satisfactorily finished its restructuring plan, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the proposal states. It also “underscores the importance” of full humanitarian aid in Gaza, including through the UN, the ICRC, and the Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it allows for the removal of “any organisation determined to have misused such assistance”. The phrase permits the council barring Unrwa, the organization that the international court of justice has ruled is the legal provider of assistance.

International Political Efforts

France and Saudi representatives are currently pressing for a mention to a sovereign Palestine to be added in the resolution. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on 18 November, and Manal Radwan has said that a mention to a independent Palestine is a prerequisite.

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

Not the United Nations nor the 15 strong UNSC are assigned a supervisory role over the mission, supervising the implementation of the resolution, a point largely overlooked by the draft text. No details is outlined about the funding of this stabilisation mission, which, according to the US officials, should be largely covered by Gulf states, with the Kingdom taking the lead.

Israel's Requests and Regional Situations

Israel is seeking formal assurances from the United States that it be permitted to follow the pattern of Lebanon and retain the right to return to Gaza if it considers disarmament is not taking place at a level or pace it requires.

The Israeli proposal was presented to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on Monday to discuss progress on the ceasefire and Witkoff was scheduled to arrive subsequently the that day.

Just the bodies of four of the original 251 captives remain not recovered.

Separately, Israel has been proposing that the territory could still be divided in two with reconstruction work starting in the Israel occupied areas of the region. International officials insist that this is not part of the Trump plan.