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Plans for an international security mission mandated by the United Nations to disarm the militant group in the Gaza Strip are facing growing resistance after the United Arab Emirates stated it would not join due to the absence of a clear legal structure.

Growing Global Concerns

Israeli authorities have previously ruled out Turkey involvement, and Jordan's King Abdullah has stated that his country's forces will not join. Azerbaijan, once mooted as a potential participant, was absent from a preparatory session in Istanbul and said it would not contribute unless a complete ceasefire was in place.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a defined structure for the stability mission and under such circumstances declines involvement, but backs all political initiatives towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of relief efforts.

Regional Doubts and Legal Issues

The Emirati decision, delivered by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in Abu Dhabi, highlights regional reservations about the provisions of a US-drafted document already distributed 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on a American-led stabilisation force to be the primary means of ensuring security in Gaza after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the territory.

Arab states would like greater duties to be given to a separate local law enforcement agency. International law would also forbid foreign troops from entering contested Palestine unless there was explicit Palestinian consent; without it, the mission could be seen as imposed under international statutes, and potentially stabilising an illegal Israeli occupation.

Local Perspectives and Calls for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is critical that the force be sent not to reinforce the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to uphold global standards and end it. The force will succeed as long as it operates in the whole disputed land, including the occupied territories, at the request of Palestine, and has a clear goal to conclude the presence within the framework of a sovereign Palestinian state.”

The draft contains no mention to the West Bank in the US draft resolution, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a two-state solution, a prospect that Israeli leadership rejects.

Continuing Negotiations and Potential Risks

In-depth negotiations on the stabilisation force mandate, including its leadership structure, began formally on last week in New York, and look likely to be protracted – potentially creating the development of a power gap in Gaza that may strengthen militant factions.

The United States is suggesting that it lead the force although it will not have a large number of personnel deployed on the ground. It has previously in effect assumed command of the distribution of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new logistical hub based in Israel.

Force Mandate and Administrative Role

The draft US resolution outlines the purpose of the security mission as “along with the recently prepared and vetted law enforcement to assist in protecting border areas, secure the safety situation in Gaza by guaranteeing the procedure of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the elimination and prevention of rebuilding the military terror and hostile facilities as well as the permanent removal of weapons from militant factions”.

The force, reporting to a “peace council” led by Donald Trump, and not to the UN, would be mandated to use “any required actions” to achieve its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also concerned that this mandate is too expansive, and if Hamas is to disarm, the faction will only do so to fellow Palestinians, probably in the local law enforcement, at a time that, from the Hamas perspective, marks the end of Israeli presence.

They also worry the proposed authority spills into giving the stabilisation force a administrative role in the territory, a task that was to be reserved for a local technocratic committee working in conjunction with a restructured Palestinian Authority.

Aid Aspects and Funding Questions

This “interim authority” in the strip would stay until “the local government has satisfactorily finished its reform program, the approval of which shall be approved to the board of peace”, the draft 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 Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it allows for the exclusion of “any organisation found to have misused such assistance”. The phrase leaves open the council excluding the UN relief agency, the body that the international court of justice has ruled is the lawful provider of aid.

Global Political Efforts

French officials and Saudi Arabia are currently pressing for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be added in the document. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on the specified date, and Manal Radwan has stated that a reference to a independent Palestine is a prerequisite.

The Palestinian Authority leader, 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 supervisory role over the stabilisation force, supervising the execution of the proposal, a aspect largely ignored by the draft text. Nothing is outlined about the funding of this security operation, which, according to the US officials, should be mostly covered by regional nations, with the Kingdom taking the lead.

Israeli Requests and Local Situations

Israel is seeking written guarantees from the United States that it be permitted to emulate the model of the Lebanese situation and retain the right to return to the territory if it considers disarmament is not taking place at a level or speed it requires.

The Israeli proposal was put to the former US advisor, the ex-president's son-in-law, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in Jerusalem on this week to review developments on the truce and Witkoff was due to appear subsequently the same day.

Just the bodies of four of the initial hundreds of Israeli hostages remain not recovered.

Separately, Israel has been proposing that the territory could yet be split in two with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israeli-controlled areas of the strip. Western diplomats insist that this is not part of the Trump plan.