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Plans for an multinational stabilisation force mandated by the United Nations to disarm Hamas in the Gaza Strip are facing growing opposition after the UAE stated it will not join due to the absence of a clear legal structure.

Increasing Global Concerns

Israel have previously excluded Turkey participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that his country's troops will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, once mooted as a potential contributor, did not attend a preparatory session in Istanbul and said it would not take part unless a full truce was in place.

The UAE lacks clarity on a defined structure for the stabilisation force and under such circumstances declines involvement, but will support all diplomatic efforts towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of relief efforts.

Regional Skepticism and Legal Issues

The Emirati decision, made by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, highlights regional doubts about the terms of a US-drafted resolution previously distributed to delegates at the UN in NYC. The draft assigns responsibility on a American-led stabilisation force to be the principal means of imposing order in the territory after Israel have left the region.

Regional governments would prefer expanded duties to be assigned to a distinct Palestinian law enforcement agency. International law would also prohibit foreign troops from deploying into occupied Palestine unless there was explicit local approval; without it, the mission could be seen as imposed under international statutes, and potentially stabilising an unlawful Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Appeals for Definition

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

There is no mention to the occupied territories in the American proposal, or to a Palestinian state, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israeli leadership opposes.

Ongoing Discussions and Potential Dangers

In-depth negotiations on the stabilisation force mandate, including its leadership structure, started formally on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and appear to be lengthy – potentially creating the emergence of a vacuum in Gaza that may strengthen Hamas.

The United States is suggesting that it command the force 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 relief supplies into Gaza from a recently established civil military coordination centre based in the neighboring country.

Mission Mandate and Governance Function

The proposed US resolution defines the purpose of the stabilisation force as “together with the newly trained and screened police force to assist in protecting frontier zones, stabilise the safety situation in Gaza by guaranteeing the process of disarming the territory including the elimination and blocking of reconstructing the military terror and hostile facilities as well as the lasting decommissioning of arms from militant factions”.

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

Arab states including Qatari officials are also concerned that this authority is too expansive, and if the group is to lay down arms, the group will solely do so to fellow Palestinians, likely in the civilian police force, at a moment that, from the Hamas viewpoint, marks the end of Israeli presence.

They also fear the draft mandate extends to granting the stabilisation force a administrative role in the territory, a task that was to be reserved for a Palestinian technocratic committee working in cooperation with a reformed local government.

Aid Aspects and Financial Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in Gaza would stay until “the local government has adequately completed its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the draft says. It also “underscores the importance” of unhindered humanitarian aid in Gaza, including through the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the humanitarian organizations.

However, it opens the door the removal of “any organisation found to have misused such assistance”. The phrase permits the council barring the UN relief agency, the organization that the global judicial body has ruled is the lawful provider of aid.

Global Political Efforts

French officials and Saudi Arabia are already advocating for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be included in the resolution. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the White House on 18 November, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has said that a mention to a Palestinian state is a requirement.

The PA chair, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on Monday to discuss the authority's function.

Not the United Nations nor the 15 strong security council are given a oversight role over the stabilisation force, supervising the execution of the resolution, a aspect largely overlooked by the draft text. No details is specified about the financing of this security operation, which, as per the Americans, should be mostly covered by regional nations, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israeli Demands and Regional Developments

Israel is seeking formal assurances from the US that it be allowed to emulate the pattern of the Lebanese situation and retain the right to return to the territory if it believes demilitarization is not taking place at a scale or pace it demands.

The request was presented to Jared Kushner, the ex-president's son-in-law, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in the Israeli capital on this week to review developments on the ceasefire and Witkoff was due to appear later the same day.

Just the bodies of four of the original hundreds of captives remain unreturned.

Separately, Israeli officials has been suggesting that the territory could still be divided in two parts with reconstruction work beginning in the Israel occupied parts of the strip. International officials maintain that this is no part of the former US administration's proposal.