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Proposals for an international security mission authorized by the United Nations to disarm the militant group in the Gaza Strip are encountering growing opposition after the United Arab Emirates stated it will not join due to the absence of a well-defined legal framework.

Growing Global Reservations

Israeli authorities have previously ruled out Turkish involvement, and Jordan's King Abdullah has stated that Jordanian troops will not join. Azerbaijan, previously considered as a potential participant, did not attend a planning session in Turkey and said it would not contribute unless a complete truce was established.

Emirati officials does not yet see a defined structure for the stabilisation mission and under such circumstances declines involvement, but backs all political efforts towards peace – and stay at the forefront of relief efforts.

Arab Skepticism and Juridical Issues

The Emirati announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, reflects regional reservations about the provisions of a US-drafted resolution already circulated to diplomats at the UN in New York. The proposal places an onus on a American-led stabilisation force to be the principal means of imposing security in Gaza after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the territory.

Arab states would prefer greater responsibilities to be given to a separate local civilian police force. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit external forces from entering occupied Palestine unless there was clear Palestinian consent; otherwise, the mission could be seen as imposed under UN law, and arguably stabilising an unlawful presence.

Palestinian Perspectives and Appeals for Definition

Jamal Nusseibeh of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is essential that the mission be deployed not to stabilise the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to uphold global standards and terminate it. The mission will succeed as long as it operates in the entire occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the request of Palestine, and has a clear objective to end the presence within the context of a sovereign state of Palestine.”

There is no mention to the occupied territories in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israeli leadership rejects.

Continuing Discussions and Potential Risks

Detailed talks on the stabilisation force authority, including its leadership structure, started formally on last week in New York, and look likely to be protracted – risking the emergence of a vacuum in the strip that may strengthen Hamas.

The United States is suggesting that it lead the mission although it will not have many personnel involved on the ground. It has previously effectively assumed command of the delivery of relief supplies into the territory from a recently established logistical hub based in Israel.

Mission Mandate and Administrative Role

The proposed US resolution outlines the aim of the stabilisation force as “along with the newly trained and screened police force to assist in protecting border areas, secure the security environment in Gaza by guaranteeing the procedure of demilitarising the territory including the destruction and blocking of rebuilding the militant and offensive infrastructure as well as the lasting removal of weapons from non-state armed groups”.

The mission, answerable to a “peace council” chaired by the former US president, and not to the UN, would be mandated to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also concerned that this mandate is overly broad, and if Hamas is to disarm, the faction will solely do so to fellow Palestinians, probably in the local law enforcement, at a time that, from the Hamas viewpoint, marks the conclusion of occupation.

They also worry the proposed authority spills into granting the mission a governance function in the territory, a task that was to be reserved for a Palestinian expert panel working in conjunction with a restructured local government.

Humanitarian Aspects and Funding Questions

This “interim authority” in Gaza would stay until “the local government has adequately completed its reform program, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the draft states. It also “underscores the significance” of unhindered relief in the territory, including through the United Nations, the ICRC, and the humanitarian organizations.

Nonetheless, it allows for the removal of “any group determined to have misused such aid”. The wording permits the board of peace barring the UN relief agency, the body that the global judicial body has ruled is the lawful distributor of aid.

Global Diplomatic Initiatives

France and Saudi Arabia are already pressing for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be added in the resolution. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the White House on the specified date, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has said that a reference 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 review the PA role.

Neither the United Nations nor the 15 strong UNSC are given a supervisory role over the stabilisation force, monitoring the implementation of the proposal, a aspect largely ignored by the draft text. No details is specified about the funding of this stabilisation mission, which, as per the US officials, should be largely borne by Gulf states, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Requests and Local Situations

Israeli authorities is seeking written guarantees from the United States that it be allowed to follow the model of the Lebanese situation and reserve the authority to re-enter the territory if it considers disarmament is not occurring at a scale or speed it requires.

The request was presented to Jared Kushner, the ex-president's relative, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in Jerusalem on Monday to review developments on the truce and Witkoff was due to appear subsequently the that day.

Just the remains of a small number of the original 251 Israeli hostages remain not recovered.

Separately, Israel has been proposing that the Gaza Strip could still be split in two with reconstruction work starting in the Israel occupied parts of the strip. International officials maintain that this is not part of the Trump plan.