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Proposals for an international stabilisation force mandated by the UN to demilitarize Hamas in Gaza are facing growing opposition after the UAE stated it would not take part due to the lack of a well-defined legal framework.

Growing International Concerns

Israel have previously ruled out Turkey involvement, and Jordan's King Abdullah has stated that his country's troops will not participate. Azerbaijan, once mooted as a possible participant, was absent from a planning session in Istanbul and said it would not take part unless a full ceasefire was established.

The UAE does not yet see a defined framework for the stabilisation mission and in this situation will not participate, but backs all political efforts towards resolution – and remain at the vanguard of humanitarian aid.

Regional Doubts and Legal Issues

The UAE's decision, made by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in Abu Dhabi, reflects regional reservations about the terms of a American-proposed resolution already distributed to diplomats at the UN in NYC. The draft places an onus on a US-directed security mission to be the principal means of imposing order in Gaza after Israel have left the region.

Regional governments would prefer expanded duties to be given to a separate local civilian police force. International law would also prohibit foreign troops from entering occupied Palestinian territories unless there was explicit local approval; without it, the force could be viewed as coercive under international statutes, and arguably reinforcing an unlawful presence.

Palestinian Perspectives and Calls for Clarity

Jamal Nusseibeh of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is critical that the force be sent not to reinforce the unlawful presence, but to enforce global standards and terminate it. The mission will work as long as it operates in the whole occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a defined objective to end the occupation within the framework of a independent Palestinian state.”

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

Continuing Negotiations and Possible Risks

Detailed talks on the stabilisation force authority, including its command and control, began formally on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and appear to be lengthy – risking the development of a vacuum in Gaza that may empower Hamas.

The United States is suggesting that it command the force although it will not have a large number of personnel involved on the ground. It has previously in effect assumed command of the distribution of relief supplies into the territory from a recently established logistical hub based in Israel.

Force Mandate and Administrative Role

The draft American document outlines the aim of the stabilisation force as “along with the recently prepared and screened law enforcement to help secure border areas, secure the security environment in Gaza by guaranteeing the process of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the destruction and blocking of rebuilding 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 “any required actions” to fulfill its objectives.

Arab states including Qatari officials are also worried 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 local law enforcement, at a time that, from the Hamas perspective, marks the conclusion of Israeli presence.

They also fear the draft mandate spills into granting the stabilisation force a governance role in Gaza, a responsibility that was to be set aside for a local expert panel working in cooperation with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Aspects and Funding Questions

This “interim authority” in the strip would stay until “the Palestinian Authority has satisfactorily finished its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the proposal says. It also “emphasizes the significance” of full humanitarian aid in the territory, including through the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the humanitarian organizations.

Nonetheless, it opens the door the exclusion of “any group determined to have improperly used such assistance”. The wording leaves open the board of peace excluding Unrwa, the body that the global judicial body has said is the legal provider of assistance.

International Diplomatic Efforts

French officials and Saudi representatives are already pressing for a reference to a Palestinian state to be added in the resolution. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the White House on the specified date, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has stated that a mention to a independent Palestine is a requirement.

The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on this week to discuss the authority's function.

Neither the United Nations nor the 15 strong UNSC are given a supervisory function over the mission, supervising the execution of the proposal, a aspect mostly ignored by the draft text. Nothing is outlined about the funding of this stabilisation mission, which, as per the Americans, should be mostly borne by Gulf states, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Requests and Local Situations

Israel is requesting formal assurances from the United States that it be allowed to follow the pattern of Lebanon and reserve the authority to return to the territory if it considers disarmament is not taking place at a scale or speed it requires.

The Israeli proposal was presented to the former US advisor, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in Jerusalem on this week to review developments on the ceasefire and the envoy was scheduled to arrive subsequently the same day.

Only the bodies of four of the initial hundreds of captives remain unreturned.

Independently, Israeli officials has been proposing that the Gaza Strip could yet be split in two with reconstruction work beginning in the Israeli-controlled parts of the region. International officials maintain that this is not part of the Trump plan.