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Proposals for an international stabilisation force authorized by the United Nations to demilitarize Hamas in the Gaza Strip are facing growing opposition after the UAE stated it would not join due to the lack of a well-defined legal structure.

Increasing International Concerns

Israeli authorities have previously ruled out Turkish involvement, and Jordan's King Abdullah has declared that his country's forces will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, previously considered as a possible contributor, was absent from a planning meeting in Turkey and indicated it would not take part unless a complete truce was in place.

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

Arab Skepticism and Legal Concerns

The UAE's decision, delivered by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, highlights Arab reservations about the terms of a US-drafted document already distributed to delegates at the UN in NYC. The proposal places an onus on a US-directed stabilisation force to be the primary means of ensuring security in Gaza after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the territory.

Regional governments would prefer expanded responsibilities to be assigned to a separate local civilian police force. International law would also forbid foreign troops from entering occupied Palestinian territories unless there was clear local approval; otherwise, the mission could be viewed as imposed under UN law, and arguably reinforcing an illegal Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Perspectives and Appeals for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan commented: “It is critical that the force be sent not to stabilise the unlawful presence, but to uphold global standards and end it. The force will work as long as it operates in the entire disputed land, including the West Bank, at the invitation of the Palestinian authorities, and has a defined goal to conclude the presence within the context of a independent Palestinian state.”

There is no mention to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a two-state solution, a prospect that Israel rejects.

Continuing Negotiations and Possible Dangers

In-depth talks on the stabilisation force authority, including its command and control, started formally on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and appear to be lengthy – risking the development of a vacuum in the strip that may strengthen militant factions.

The US is suggesting that it lead the force although it will not have a large number of troops involved on the terrain. It has already effectively taken control of the distribution of relief supplies into the territory from a new logistical hub based in Israel.

Force Objectives and Administrative Role

The proposed American document defines the purpose of the security mission as “along with the recently prepared and screened law enforcement to help secure frontier zones, secure the safety situation in the region by ensuring the procedure of disarming the territory including the elimination and blocking of reconstructing the militant and hostile facilities as well as the permanent decommissioning of weapons from militant factions”.

The mission, answerable to a “peace council” led by the former US president, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its objectives.

Arab states including Qatari officials are also concerned that this mandate is too expansive, and if Hamas is to disarm, the faction will solely do so to local counterparts, probably in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the militant perspective, signifies the conclusion of occupation.

They also fear the proposed authority spills into granting the mission a governance function in the territory, a responsibility that was to be set aside for a Palestinian technocratic committee working in cooperation with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Aid Considerations and Financial Issues

This “interim authority” in Gaza would remain until “the local government has adequately completed its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the draft 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.

However, it opens the door the exclusion of “any group determined to have misused such assistance”. The wording leaves open the council excluding the UN relief agency, the body that the global judicial body has said is the lawful provider of aid.

Global Diplomatic Efforts

France and Saudi Arabia are already pressing for a mention to a sovereign Palestine to be added in the resolution. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on the specified date, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has stated that a reference to a Palestinian state is a requirement.

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

Neither the UN nor the 15 strong UNSC are given a supervisory role over the mission, monitoring the implementation of the proposal, a aspect mostly overlooked by the proposed document. Nothing is outlined about the funding of this security operation, which, according to the US officials, should be largely borne by regional nations, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israeli Demands and Local Developments

Israel is requesting written guarantees from the US that it be permitted to emulate the pattern of Lebanon and reserve the right to re-enter the territory if it considers demilitarization is not occurring at a level or pace 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. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on Monday to review developments on the truce and Witkoff was scheduled to appear subsequently the same day.

Just the bodies of four of the original hundreds of Israeli hostages are still unreturned.

Independently, Israel has been proposing that the territory could still be split in two parts with reconstruction work starting in the Israeli-controlled parts of the region. International officials insist that this is not part of the Trump plan.