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Proposals for an multinational stabilisation force authorized by the United Nations to disarm Hamas in the Gaza Strip are encountering increasing resistance after the United Arab Emirates announced it will not join due to the lack of a clear legal structure.

Growing International Reservations

Israel have already excluded Turkish involvement, and Jordan's King Abdullah has declared that his country's forces will not participate. Azerbaijan, once considered as a possible contributor, was absent from a preparatory meeting in Istanbul and said it would not take part unless a complete truce was established.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a defined structure for the stability force and in this situation declines involvement, but will support all political efforts towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of relief efforts.

Regional Doubts and Juridical Concerns

The Emirati decision, made by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, reflects regional doubts about the provisions of a American-proposed document previously circulated to delegates at the UN in New York. The draft places an onus on a American-led stabilisation force to be the primary means of ensuring order in Gaza after Israel have left the region.

Regional governments would prefer expanded duties to be given to a separate local law enforcement agency. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit external forces from entering contested Palestine unless there was explicit local approval; otherwise, the force could be seen as imposed under UN law, and arguably stabilising an illegal presence.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Appeals for Definition

Jamal Nusseibeh of the Palestinian armistice plan said: “It is critical that the force be sent not to reinforce the illegal presence, but to uphold global standards and terminate it. The mission will work as long as it enters the entire occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a defined objective to conclude the presence within the framework of a sovereign state of Palestine.”

The draft contains no mention to the occupied territories in the US draft resolution, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israeli leadership opposes.

Continuing Discussions and Potential Dangers

Detailed negotiations on the mission authority, including its command and control, started officially on last week in New York, and appear to be lengthy – risking the development of a vacuum in Gaza that may empower Hamas.

The US is proposing that it command the force although it will not have many troops deployed on the terrain. It has previously effectively assumed command of the delivery of humanitarian aid into the territory from a recently established logistical hub based in the neighboring country.

Force Objectives and Administrative Role

The draft American document defines the purpose of the security mission as “along with the recently prepared and vetted law enforcement to help secure frontier zones, stabilise the safety situation in the region by ensuring the process of demilitarising the territory including the elimination and blocking of rebuilding the military terror and hostile facilities as well as the permanent removal of weapons from militant factions”.

The force, 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 goals.

Regional powers including Qatar are also worried that this authority is overly broad, and if the group is to lay down arms, the group will only do so to fellow Palestinians, likely in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the militant viewpoint, signifies the end of Israeli presence.

They also worry the proposed authority extends to giving the stabilisation force a administrative function in the territory, a responsibility that was to be set aside for a Palestinian technocratic committee working in cooperation with a reformed local government.

Humanitarian Aspects and Financial Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip would stay until “the Palestinian Authority has satisfactorily completed its restructuring plan, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the proposal states. It also “emphasizes the importance” of full humanitarian aid in the territory, including through the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the humanitarian organizations.

However, it opens the door the removal of “any group determined to have misused such aid”. The phrase leaves open the board of peace barring Unrwa, the body that the international court of justice has ruled is the legal provider of assistance.

Global Diplomatic Initiatives

France and Saudi Arabia are already pressing for a mention to a sovereign Palestine to be added in the resolution. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on the specified date, and Manal Radwan has said that a reference to a Palestinian state is a prerequisite.

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

Not the United Nations nor the 15 strong UNSC are given a oversight role over the stabilisation force, monitoring the implementation of the resolution, a point largely ignored by the draft text. No details is outlined about the financing of this stabilisation mission, which, as per the Americans, should be largely borne by Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia assuming primary responsibility.

Israeli Demands and Local Developments

Israel is seeking formal assurances from the United States that it be allowed to follow the model of the Lebanese situation and retain the right to return to Gaza if it believes demilitarization is not occurring at a level or pace it demands.

The request was put to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s relative, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in Jerusalem on Monday to discuss developments on the ceasefire and Witkoff was scheduled to arrive later the that day.

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

Independently, Israeli officials has been proposing that the territory could yet be divided in two with reconstruction work beginning in the Israel occupied areas of the region. Western diplomats insist that this is no part of the Trump plan.