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Plans for an multinational security mission authorized by the UN to disarm the militant group in Gaza are facing increasing resistance after the UAE stated it would not join due to the lack of a clear legal structure.

Increasing Global Concerns

Israel have previously ruled out Turkey participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that his country's forces will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, once considered as a possible participant, was absent from a planning meeting in Turkey and indicated it would not take part unless a complete ceasefire was established.

The UAE lacks clarity on a clear framework for the stabilisation mission and in this situation will not participate, but backs all diplomatic efforts towards peace – and stay at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Arab Skepticism and Legal Issues

The Emirati announcement, made by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, highlights Arab reservations about the terms of a American-proposed document already distributed to diplomats at the UN in NYC. The proposal places an onus on a American-led stabilisation force to be the principal means of ensuring order in the territory after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the territory.

Arab states would like expanded duties to be given to a distinct local law enforcement agency. International law would also prohibit external forces from deploying into contested Palestine unless there was clear Palestinian consent; without it, the mission could be viewed as imposed under international statutes, and potentially reinforcing an unlawful Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Perspectives and Calls for Clarity

Jamal Nusseibeh of the Palestinian armistice plan commented: “It is essential that the mission be sent not to stabilise the illegal presence, but to enforce global standards and end it. The force will work as long as it enters the entire occupied territory, including the occupied territories, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a clear goal to end the occupation within the context of a sovereign state of Palestine.”

There is no mention to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a Palestinian state, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israel rejects.

Ongoing Negotiations and Potential Dangers

Detailed negotiations on the stabilisation force mandate, including its command and control, began formally on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and look likely to be lengthy – potentially creating the emergence of a vacuum in Gaza that may empower militant factions.

The United States is proposing that it lead the force although it will not have a large number of personnel involved on the ground. It has previously in effect taken control of the delivery of relief supplies into the territory from a new civil military coordination centre based in the neighboring country.

Force Objectives and Administrative Function

The proposed American document outlines the aim of the security mission as “along with the newly trained and vetted law enforcement to help secure frontier zones, secure the security environment in the region by ensuring the procedure of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the elimination and prevention of reconstructing the military terror and offensive infrastructure as well as the permanent removal of weapons from militant factions”.

The force, answerable to a “board of peace” chaired by Donald Trump, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its goals.

Arab states including Qatar are also concerned that this mandate is too expansive, and if Hamas is to disarm, the group will solely do so to fellow Palestinians, probably in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the militant perspective, signifies the conclusion of Israeli presence.

They also fear the proposed authority extends to giving the mission a administrative role in Gaza, a task that was to be set aside for a local technocratic committee working in cooperation with a reformed local government.

Humanitarian Aspects and Financial Questions

This “interim authority” in Gaza would stay until “the Palestinian Authority has satisfactorily finished its reform program, the approval of which shall be approved to the board of peace”, the proposal states. It also “emphasizes the significance” of unhindered relief in the territory, including through the United Nations, the ICRC, and the humanitarian organizations.

Nonetheless, it allows for the removal of “any organisation determined to have improperly used such aid”. The wording leaves open the council excluding the UN relief agency, the body that the global judicial body has ruled is the legal provider of assistance.

International Diplomatic Initiatives

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

The PA chair, Mahmoud Abbas, held talks with the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on this week to discuss the PA role.

Neither the United Nations nor the 15-member security council are assigned a oversight role over the stabilisation force, supervising the implementation of the proposal, a aspect mostly overlooked by the proposed document. Nothing is specified about the funding of this stabilisation mission, which, as per the US officials, should be mostly covered by Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia taking the lead.

Israeli Requests and Regional Developments

Israeli authorities is requesting written guarantees from the United States that it be permitted to follow the model of Lebanon and retain the authority to re-enter Gaza if it believes demilitarization is not occurring at a level or pace it requires.

The Israeli proposal was put to the former US advisor, Donald Trump’s relative, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in the Israeli capital on this week to review progress on the truce and the envoy was due to appear later the that day.

Just the remains of four of the initial hundreds of Israeli hostages are still unreturned.

Separately, Israel has been proposing that the territory could yet be divided in two with rebuilding efforts starting in the Israeli-controlled areas of the strip. International officials maintain that this is not part of the Trump plan.