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Plans for an international security mission authorized by the UN to disarm Hamas in Gaza are encountering increasing opposition after the UAE announced it will not take part due to the absence of a clear legal structure.

Growing Global Concerns

Israel have already ruled out Turkey participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that his country's forces will not participate. Azerbaijan, once mooted as a possible participant, was absent from a planning meeting in Istanbul and indicated it would not take part unless a complete ceasefire was in place.

The UAE lacks clarity on a clear framework for the stability force and in this situation declines involvement, but backs all diplomatic efforts towards resolution – and stay at the forefront of relief efforts.

Regional Doubts and Juridical Concerns

The Emirati announcement, delivered by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, highlights Arab reservations about the provisions of a American-proposed resolution 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 imposing security in the territory after Israeli forces have left the territory.

Arab states would prefer expanded responsibilities to be given to a distinct local law enforcement agency. International law would also prohibit foreign troops from entering contested Palestinian territories unless there was clear Palestinian consent; otherwise, the mission could be seen as imposed under international statutes, and potentially stabilising an illegal presence.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Calls for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan said: “It is essential that the force be deployed not to stabilise the illegal Israeli occupation, but to enforce global standards and end it. The force will succeed as long as it operates in the whole occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the invitation of the Palestinian authorities, and has a defined objective to conclude the occupation within the context of a independent Palestinian state.”

There is no reference to the West Bank in the US draft resolution, or to a Palestinian state, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israel opposes.

Continuing Discussions and Possible Risks

Detailed negotiations on the mission mandate, including its command and control, started officially on last week in the UN headquarters, and appear to be protracted – risking the emergence of a power gap in Gaza that may strengthen militant factions.

The US is proposing that it command the mission although it will not have a large number of troops deployed on the ground. It has already in effect taken control of the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new civil military coordination centre based in Israel.

Force Mandate and Governance Function

The draft US resolution defines the aim of the security mission as “along with the recently prepared and vetted law enforcement to help secure border areas, stabilise the security environment in the region by guaranteeing the process of disarming the Gaza Strip including the elimination and blocking of rebuilding the military terror and hostile facilities as well as the permanent decommissioning of arms from non-state armed groups”.

The mission, reporting to a “board of peace” chaired by the former US president, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “any required actions” to fulfill its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also concerned that this mandate is overly broad, and if the group is to lay down arms, the group will only do so to local counterparts, likely in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the Hamas viewpoint, signifies the end of Israeli presence.

They also worry the draft mandate spills into giving the stabilisation force a administrative role in Gaza, a task that was to be set aside for a local expert panel working in conjunction with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Aspects and Funding Issues

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip would stay until “the local government has adequately finished its reform program, the approval of which shall be approved to the BoP”, the proposal states. It also “underscores the importance” of unhindered humanitarian aid in the territory, including through the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it opens the door the removal of “any group found to have misused such aid”. The phrase leaves open the council barring the UN relief agency, the organization that the global judicial body has ruled is the legal provider of aid.

International Diplomatic Initiatives

France and Saudi representatives are currently pressing for a mention to a Palestinian state to be added in the document. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the White House on the specified date, and Manal Radwan has stated that a reference to a Palestinian state is a requirement.

The PA chair, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on Monday to review the PA role.

Not the United Nations nor the 15-member security council are given a supervisory function over the mission, monitoring the execution of the resolution, a aspect mostly ignored by the draft text. No details is specified about the financing of this security operation, which, as per the Americans, should be largely covered by Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia taking the lead.

Israel's Requests and Regional Situations

Israel is seeking formal assurances from the United States that it be allowed to emulate the model of Lebanon and retain the authority to return to the territory if it considers disarmament is not occurring at a level or speed it demands.

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 discuss progress on the ceasefire and the envoy was due to arrive subsequently the that day.

Just the remains of a small number of the initial 251 captives are still unreturned.

Separately, Israel has been proposing that the territory could yet be split in two with reconstruction work beginning in the Israeli-controlled areas of the region. International officials insist that this is no part of the Trump plan.