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Proposals for an multinational stabilisation force mandated by the United Nations to disarm the militant group in Gaza are facing increasing opposition after the UAE stated it will not join due to the lack of a well-defined legal structure.

Increasing Global Reservations

Israel have already ruled out Turkey involvement, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that Jordanian troops will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, previously considered as a possible contributor, did not attend a preparatory session in Istanbul and indicated it would not contribute unless a full truce was in place.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a clear framework for the stabilisation force and under such circumstances declines involvement, but backs all diplomatic efforts towards resolution – and stay at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Arab Doubts and Legal Issues

The Emirati announcement, delivered by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, reflects Arab doubts about the terms of a American-proposed document already circulated to diplomats at the UN in New York. The draft assigns responsibility on a US-directed stabilisation force to be the principal means of ensuring security in the territory after Israeli forces have left the region.

Arab states would like expanded responsibilities to be assigned to a distinct local law enforcement agency. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit external forces from deploying into occupied Palestinian territories unless there was clear local approval; otherwise, the mission could be viewed as imposed under UN law, and potentially stabilising an illegal Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Calls for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal commented: “It is essential that the mission be deployed not to stabilise the unlawful presence, but to enforce global standards and end it. The mission will work as long as it operates in the entire disputed land, including the West Bank, at the request of Palestine, and has a defined goal to end the occupation within the framework of a independent state of Palestine.”

There is no mention to the occupied territories in the US draft resolution, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israel rejects.

Continuing Negotiations and Possible Risks

Detailed talks on the stabilisation force authority, including its command and control, started officially on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and appear to be lengthy – risking the development of a power gap in Gaza that may strengthen Hamas.

The United States is proposing that it lead the force although it will not have a large number of troops deployed on the ground. It has already effectively assumed command of the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new logistical hub based in Israel.

Force Objectives and Administrative Role

The draft US resolution defines the aim of the security mission as “together with the newly trained and vetted police force to assist in protecting border areas, stabilise the safety situation in Gaza by guaranteeing the process of disarming the Gaza Strip including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding the militant and hostile facilities as well as the lasting removal of arms from non-state armed groups”.

The mission, reporting to a “peace council” led by the former US president, and not to the UN, would be required to use “any required actions” to achieve its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also concerned that this mandate is overly broad, and if Hamas is to lay down arms, the group will solely do so to fellow Palestinians, likely in the local law enforcement, at a moment that, from the Hamas viewpoint, marks the end of occupation.

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

Humanitarian Considerations and Funding Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip 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 draft says. It also “underscores the importance” of unhindered relief in Gaza, including through the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the humanitarian organizations.

Nonetheless, it opens the door the exclusion of “any group found to have misused such assistance”. The phrase 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 mention to a sovereign Palestine to be added in the document. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the White House on 18 November, and Manal Radwan has stated that a reference to a Palestinian state is a requirement.

The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris on this week to review the PA role.

Not the UN nor the 15-member UNSC are given a supervisory role over the stabilisation force, monitoring the execution of the proposal, a aspect largely ignored by the draft text. No details is specified about the financing of this security operation, which, as per the US officials, should be mostly covered by Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia taking the lead.

Israel's Demands and Regional Developments

Israel is requesting written guarantees from the United States that it be allowed to emulate the pattern of Lebanon and reserve the authority to re-enter the territory if it considers disarmament is not occurring at a level or pace it demands.

The Israeli proposal was put to the former US advisor, the ex-president's relative, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in Jerusalem on this week to discuss progress on the truce and Witkoff was due to arrive subsequently the that day.

Just the bodies of a small number of the original hundreds of captives are still not recovered.

Separately, Israeli officials has been proposing that the Gaza Strip could still be divided in two parts with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israeli-controlled parts of the region. Western diplomats insist that this is not part of the Trump plan.