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Plans for an international security mission mandated by the United Nations to demilitarize Hamas in the Gaza Strip are facing increasing resistance after the United Arab Emirates announced it would not join due to the lack of a clear legal structure.

Increasing International Reservations

Israel have already excluded Turkey involvement, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that his country's forces will not join. The Azerbaijani government, previously considered as a potential participant, did not attend a planning meeting in Istanbul and said it would not contribute unless a complete ceasefire was in place.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a clear framework for the stability force and under such circumstances declines involvement, but will support all political initiatives towards peace – and remain at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Regional Skepticism and Legal Issues

The UAE's decision, delivered by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in Abu Dhabi, reflects regional reservations about the terms of a US-drafted document already circulated to diplomats at the UN in NYC. The proposal places an onus on a American-led security mission to be the principal means of ensuring order in Gaza after Israeli forces have left the territory.

Regional governments would prefer expanded responsibilities to be given to a separate local civilian police force. International law would also forbid external forces from entering occupied Palestinian territories unless there was explicit Palestinian consent; otherwise, the mission could be viewed as imposed under international statutes, and potentially stabilising an unlawful Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Appeals for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan said: “It is essential that the mission be sent not to stabilise the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to enforce global standards and terminate it. The force will work as long as it operates in the entire occupied territory, including the occupied territories, at the request of the Palestinian authorities, and has a clear objective to conclude the presence within the context of a independent state of Palestine.”

There is no reference to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a Palestinian state, or a peaceful resolution, a outcome that Israeli leadership rejects.

Continuing Discussions and Potential Dangers

In-depth talks on the mission authority, including its command and control, started officially on Thursday in New York, and appear to be lengthy – potentially creating the development of a power gap in the strip that may strengthen militant factions.

The US is proposing that it command the force although it will not have many troops deployed on the ground. It has previously effectively assumed command of the distribution of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a recently established logistical hub based in Israel.

Force Mandate and Administrative Role

The draft American document outlines the purpose of the stabilisation force as “together with the newly trained and screened law enforcement to assist in protecting frontier zones, secure the security environment in the region by ensuring the procedure of disarming the Gaza Strip including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding the militant and hostile facilities as well as the permanent decommissioning of arms from non-state armed groups”.

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

Arab states including Qatar are also worried that this authority is too expansive, and if Hamas is to disarm, the group will solely do so to local counterparts, likely in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the Hamas perspective, signifies the conclusion of occupation.

They also worry the draft mandate spills into granting the stabilisation force a administrative role in Gaza, a responsibility that was to be reserved for a Palestinian technocratic committee working in cooperation with a restructured Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Considerations and Financial Questions

This “interim authority” in Gaza would stay until “the Palestinian Authority has adequately finished its reform program, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the draft states. It also “underscores the significance” of full humanitarian aid in the territory, including through the United Nations, the ICRC, and the Red Crescent.

However, it opens the door the removal of “any organisation determined to have misused such assistance”. The phrase permits the board of peace barring the UN relief agency, the body that the global judicial body has said is the legal provider of assistance.

Global Diplomatic Initiatives

France and Saudi representatives are currently pressing for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be included in the resolution. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on 18 November, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has stated that a mention to a independent Palestine is a prerequisite.

The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on Monday to discuss the PA role.

Not the United Nations nor the 15 strong security council are given a oversight function over the stabilisation force, monitoring the execution of the proposal, a aspect mostly ignored by the draft text. No details is outlined about the financing of this security operation, which, according to the US officials, should be mostly covered by Gulf states, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israeli Demands and Local Developments

Israel is seeking written guarantees from the US that it be permitted to emulate the model of Lebanon and reserve the authority to re-enter the territory if it believes disarmament is not taking place at a level or pace it requires.

The request was put to Jared Kushner, the ex-president's relative, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in Jerusalem on Monday to review progress on the truce and Witkoff was scheduled to appear later the same day.

Only the bodies of a small number of the initial 251 Israeli hostages are still unreturned.

Separately, Israeli officials has been proposing that the Gaza Strip could yet be split in two parts with reconstruction work beginning in the Israel occupied parts of the region. International officials insist that this is not part of the Trump plan.