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Proposals for an international stabilisation force authorized by the United Nations to disarm Hamas in the Gaza Strip are encountering growing opposition after the United Arab Emirates announced it would not join due to the lack of a clear legal framework.

Growing Global Concerns

Israeli authorities have already ruled out Turkish participation, and Jordan's King Abdullah has declared that Jordanian forces will not participate. Azerbaijan, previously considered as a potential participant, did not attend a preparatory session in Istanbul and indicated it would not contribute unless a full ceasefire was established.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a clear structure for the stability force and in this situation will not participate, but will support all political efforts towards peace – and remain at the vanguard of humanitarian aid.

Arab Skepticism and Legal Concerns

The UAE's announcement, made by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, highlights regional reservations about the provisions of a American-proposed document previously circulated to delegates at the UN in NYC. The proposal places an onus on a American-led security mission to be the primary means of ensuring order in the territory after Israeli forces have left the region.

Arab states would like expanded responsibilities to be assigned to a separate local civilian police force. Global jurisprudence would also forbid external forces from deploying into contested Palestinian territories unless there was clear local approval; otherwise, the force could be seen as imposed under UN law, and potentially reinforcing an illegal presence.

Palestinian Perspectives and Calls for Clarity

Jamal Nusseibeh of the Palestinian armistice plan commented: “It is critical that the mission be deployed not to reinforce the illegal presence, but to enforce global standards and terminate it. The force will work as long as it operates in the whole occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the request of Palestine, and has a defined goal to end the occupation within the context of a independent state of Palestine.”

The draft contains no mention to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a outcome that Israeli leadership rejects.

Ongoing Negotiations and Possible Risks

Detailed negotiations on the stabilisation force mandate, including its command and control, started officially on last week in the UN headquarters, and look likely to be lengthy – potentially creating the development of a power gap in the strip that may strengthen Hamas.

The United States is proposing that it command the mission although it will not have a large number of troops involved on the terrain. It has previously effectively assumed command of the distribution of relief supplies into the territory from a recently established civil military coordination centre based in the neighboring country.

Force Mandate and Governance Role

The proposed American document defines the aim of the stabilisation force as “together with the recently prepared and screened law enforcement to help secure border areas, secure the safety situation in Gaza by guaranteeing the process of demilitarising the territory including the elimination and prevention of rebuilding the military terror 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 United Nations, would be mandated to use “any required actions” to fulfill its objectives.

Arab states including Qatari officials are also concerned that this authority is overly broad, and if Hamas is to disarm, the group will only do so to local counterparts, likely in the local law enforcement, at a time that, from the militant viewpoint, marks the end of Israeli presence.

They also fear the proposed authority extends to granting the stabilisation force a administrative role in Gaza, a task that was to be reserved for a Palestinian technocratic committee working in conjunction with a reformed local government.

Humanitarian Considerations and Financial Questions

This “interim authority” in Gaza would remain until “the local government has adequately completed its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be approved to the BoP”, the draft says. It also “emphasizes the importance” of unhindered relief in the territory, including through the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent.

However, it allows for the removal of “any group found to have misused such assistance”. The wording permits the council excluding the UN relief agency, the body that the global judicial body has said is the legal provider of aid.

International Diplomatic Efforts

France and Saudi Arabia are already pressing for a mention to a Palestinian state 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 PA chair, Mahmoud Abbas, held talks with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on this week to discuss the authority's function.

Not the UN nor the 15-member UNSC are given a supervisory role over the mission, monitoring the execution of the proposal, a point mostly overlooked by the draft text. Nothing is specified about the financing of this security operation, which, according to the Americans, should be largely borne by Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Requests and Local Situations

Israel is seeking written guarantees from the US that it be allowed to follow the pattern of Lebanon and reserve the authority to re-enter the territory if it considers disarmament is not taking place at a scale or pace it requires.

The Israeli proposal was presented to Jared Kushner, the ex-president's relative, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on Monday to discuss developments on the ceasefire and the envoy was scheduled to arrive subsequently the same day.

Just the remains of a small number of the original 251 captives remain not recovered.

Separately, Israel has been proposing that the Gaza Strip could still be divided in two parts with reconstruction work beginning in the Israeli-controlled areas of the strip. International officials maintain that this is no part of the Trump plan.