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Proposals for an international stabilisation force authorized by the UN to demilitarize Hamas in Gaza are facing increasing opposition after the United Arab Emirates announced it would not take part due to the lack of a well-defined legal structure.

Growing International Reservations

Israeli authorities have previously ruled out Turkish involvement, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that Jordanian troops will not participate. Azerbaijan, previously considered as a possible participant, did not attend a preparatory meeting in Istanbul and indicated it would not take part unless a complete ceasefire was in place.

Emirati officials does not yet see a clear structure for the stability mission and under such circumstances declines involvement, but will support all diplomatic efforts towards peace – and stay at the vanguard of relief efforts.

Regional Doubts and Legal Concerns

The Emirati announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in Abu Dhabi, reflects regional doubts about the terms of a American-proposed resolution previously distributed to diplomats at the UN in NYC. The proposal assigns responsibility on a American-led stabilisation force to be the principal means of ensuring security in the territory after Israel have left the territory.

Regional governments would prefer greater responsibilities to be given to a distinct Palestinian law enforcement agency. International law would also forbid foreign troops from entering contested Palestine unless there was clear local approval; otherwise, the force could be viewed as coercive under UN law, and potentially reinforcing an unlawful Israeli occupation.

Local Perspectives and Calls for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is essential that the force be sent not to reinforce the unlawful presence, but to enforce 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 Palestine, and has a defined objective to end the presence within the context of a independent state of Palestine.”

There is no mention to the occupied territories in the American proposal, or to a Palestinian state, or a two-state solution, a outcome that Israeli leadership opposes.

Ongoing Negotiations and Possible Risks

In-depth negotiations on the stabilisation force mandate, including its leadership structure, started formally on last week in New York, and appear to be protracted – potentially creating the development of a power gap in the strip that may empower militant factions.

The United States is proposing that it lead the mission although it will not have a large number of troops deployed on the ground. It has already effectively taken control of the distribution of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new civil military coordination centre based in the neighboring country.

Mission Objectives and Governance Role

The draft American document outlines the purpose of the security mission as “along with the recently prepared and vetted police force to help secure border areas, secure the security environment in Gaza by guaranteeing the process of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding the militant and hostile facilities as well as the lasting removal of arms from militant factions”.

The mission, reporting to a “board of peace” led by Donald Trump, and not to the UN, would be required to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials 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 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 proposed authority spills into giving the mission a administrative function in the territory, a task that was to be set aside for a Palestinian expert panel working in cooperation with a reformed local government.

Humanitarian Considerations and Funding Issues

This “transitional governance administration” in Gaza would remain until “the Palestinian Authority has adequately finished its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the proposal says. It also “underscores the importance” of full relief in Gaza, including through the UN, the ICRC, and the humanitarian organizations.

Nonetheless, it allows for the removal of “any group found to have misused such aid”. The phrase permits the board of peace barring Unrwa, the body that the international court of justice has said is the lawful distributor of aid.

Global Political Initiatives

France and Saudi Arabia are currently pressing for a reference to a Palestinian state to be included in the document. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the US presidential residence on the specified date, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has said that a reference to a independent Palestine is a requirement.

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

Not the UN nor the 15 strong UNSC are given a supervisory role over the mission, supervising the execution of the resolution, a aspect largely ignored by the proposed document. No details is outlined about the funding of this security operation, which, as per the US officials, should be largely covered by regional nations, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Demands and Local Situations

Israeli authorities is requesting formal assurances from the US that it be permitted to emulate the model of Lebanon and reserve the right to re-enter Gaza if it considers disarmament is not occurring at a scale or pace it requires.

The Israeli proposal was presented to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on this week to discuss developments on the ceasefire and Witkoff was due to arrive later the same day.

Just the bodies of a small number of the initial 251 Israeli hostages remain unreturned.

Independently, Israeli officials has been suggesting that the territory could yet be divided in two parts with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israel occupied parts of the strip. International officials insist that this is not part of the Trump plan.