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Plans for an multinational security mission authorized by the United Nations to demilitarize Hamas in Gaza are encountering increasing opposition after the UAE announced it would not take part due to the lack of a clear legal framework.

Increasing Global Reservations

Israeli authorities have previously excluded Turkey participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that Jordanian forces will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, once mooted as a potential participant, did not attend a planning meeting in Istanbul and indicated 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 efforts towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Arab Doubts and Legal Concerns

The UAE's announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, reflects regional doubts about the provisions of a American-proposed document previously distributed to diplomats at the UN in New York. The draft places an onus on a American-led stabilisation force to be the principal means of imposing security in the territory after Israel have withdrawn from the territory.

Regional governments would prefer expanded responsibilities to be given to a separate local civilian police force. International law would also forbid foreign troops from entering contested Palestinian territories unless there was explicit local approval; otherwise, the mission could be seen as imposed under UN law, and arguably stabilising an unlawful Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Appeals for Definition

Jamal Nusseibeh of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is essential that the force be deployed not to stabilise the illegal Israeli occupation, but to uphold global standards and terminate it. The mission will work as long as it enters the whole disputed land, including the West Bank, at the invitation of the Palestinian authorities, and has a clear objective to end the presence within the framework of a sovereign state of Palestine.”

The draft contains no reference to the occupied territories in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a two-state solution, a outcome that Israeli leadership rejects.

Ongoing Discussions and Possible Dangers

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

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

Force Objectives and Governance Role

The proposed American document outlines the aim of the security mission as “along with the recently prepared and screened law enforcement to help secure frontier zones, stabilise the safety situation in Gaza by ensuring the procedure of demilitarising the territory including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding the military terror and hostile facilities as well as the lasting decommissioning of weapons from militant factions”.

The force, reporting to a “peace council” led by Donald Trump, and not to the UN, would be required to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also worried that this authority is overly broad, and if Hamas is to lay down arms, the group will solely do so to local counterparts, probably in the civilian police force, at a moment that, from the Hamas viewpoint, marks the conclusion of Israeli presence.

They also fear the draft mandate extends to giving the stabilisation force a administrative role in Gaza, a responsibility that was to be set aside for a Palestinian expert panel working in cooperation with a restructured local government.

Aid Aspects and Financial Issues

This “interim authority” in Gaza would stay until “the local government has satisfactorily finished its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the proposal states. It also “underscores the significance” of unhindered relief in the territory, 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 aid”. The phrase permits the council excluding the UN relief agency, the body that the international court of justice has said is the legal distributor of assistance.

International Political Initiatives

France and Saudi representatives are currently advocating for a mention to a Palestinian state to be added in the document. The Saudi crown prince, 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 Paris on Monday to discuss the PA role.

Neither the United Nations nor the 15 strong security council are given a oversight function over the stabilisation force, supervising the implementation of the resolution, a aspect largely ignored by the draft text. Nothing is specified about the funding of this stabilisation mission, which, according to the US officials, should be mostly borne by Gulf states, with the Kingdom taking the lead.

Israel's Requests and Regional Situations

Israeli authorities is requesting formal assurances from the US that it be allowed to follow the model of Lebanon and reserve the authority to return to Gaza if it believes disarmament is not occurring at a scale or speed it demands.

The Israeli proposal was put to the former US advisor, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in Jerusalem on Monday to review progress on the ceasefire and Witkoff was scheduled to arrive later the that day.

Just the bodies of four of the original hundreds of captives are still unreturned.

Independently, Israel has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could still be split in two with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israeli-controlled areas of the region. Western diplomats insist that this is not part of the Trump plan.