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Proposals for an international stabilisation force authorized by the United Nations to demilitarize the militant group in Gaza are facing growing opposition after the United Arab Emirates stated it would not join due to the absence of a well-defined legal structure.

Growing International Concerns

Israeli authorities have already excluded Turkish involvement, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that Jordanian troops will not participate. Azerbaijan, previously mooted as a potential participant, did not attend a planning session in Turkey and indicated it would not contribute unless a complete ceasefire was established.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a clear framework for the stabilisation mission and under such circumstances will not participate, but backs all political initiatives towards resolution – and stay at the vanguard of relief efforts.

Regional Doubts and Juridical Concerns

The UAE's decision, delivered by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, reflects Arab reservations about the terms of a American-proposed 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stabilisation force to be the primary means of imposing security in the territory after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the region.

Arab states would like expanded responsibilities to be given to a distinct Palestinian law enforcement agency. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit foreign troops from deploying into contested Palestinian territories unless there was explicit Palestinian consent; otherwise, the force could be viewed as coercive under international statutes, and potentially reinforcing an illegal presence.

Local Perspectives and Appeals for Clarity

Jamal Nusseibeh of the Palestinian armistice plan commented: “It is critical that the mission be deployed not to stabilise the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to uphold global standards and end it. The mission will work as long as it operates in the whole occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the request of the Palestinian authorities, and has a defined objective to end the presence within the framework of a sovereign state of Palestine.”

There is no reference to the occupied territories in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a two-state solution, a prospect that Israel opposes.

Continuing Negotiations and Possible Dangers

Detailed negotiations on the mission mandate, including its leadership structure, started officially on last week in New York, and look likely to be lengthy – potentially creating the emergence of a vacuum in the strip that may strengthen Hamas.

The United States is suggesting that it command the force although it will not have a large number of personnel deployed on the terrain. It has already effectively assumed command of the distribution of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a recently established civil military coordination centre based in Israel.

Force Mandate and Administrative Role

The proposed US resolution defines the aim of the security mission as “along with the recently prepared and screened police force to assist in protecting border areas, stabilise the security environment in the region by ensuring the process of demilitarising the territory including the destruction and blocking of rebuilding the military terror and offensive infrastructure as well as the lasting removal of weapons from militant factions”.

The mission, reporting to a “peace council” led by Donald Trump, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “any required actions” to fulfill its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatar are also concerned that this authority is too expansive, and if the group is to lay down arms, the faction will solely do so to fellow Palestinians, likely in the local law enforcement, at a moment that, from the militant viewpoint, signifies the end of occupation.

They also fear the proposed authority extends to giving the stabilisation force a governance role in the territory, a responsibility that was to be set aside for a local expert panel working in conjunction with a restructured Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Aspects and Funding Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip would remain until “the Palestinian Authority has adequately completed its reform program, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the draft states. It also “underscores the significance” of unhindered relief in Gaza, including through the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the humanitarian organizations.

However, it opens the door the exclusion of “any group found to have misused such aid”. The phrase permits the council barring Unrwa, the body that the global judicial body has said is the legal provider of aid.

Global Diplomatic Efforts

French officials and Saudi Arabia are already advocating for a mention to a sovereign Palestine to be included in the resolution. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the US presidential residence on 18 November, and Manal Radwan has stated that a reference to a Palestinian state is a prerequisite.

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

Neither the United Nations nor the 15 strong security council are assigned a supervisory function over the stabilisation force, monitoring the execution of the proposal, a aspect largely ignored by the proposed document. Nothing is outlined about the financing of this stabilisation mission, which, according to the Americans, should be largely covered by regional nations, with the Kingdom taking the lead.

Israeli Requests and Local Situations

Israeli authorities is seeking written guarantees from the United States that it be permitted to emulate the model of the Lebanese situation and retain the authority to re-enter the territory if it considers disarmament is not taking place at a scale or speed it demands.

The request was presented to the former US advisor, the ex-president's relative, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in Jerusalem on this week to review progress on the ceasefire and Witkoff was scheduled to appear later the that day.

Only the bodies of a small number of the initial hundreds of Israeli hostages are still not recovered.

Independently, Israel has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could still be split in two parts with rebuilding efforts starting in the Israeli-controlled parts of the region. International officials maintain that this is no part of the former US administration's proposal.