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Plans for an international stabilisation force authorized by the UN to demilitarize the militant group in the Gaza Strip are encountering increasing resistance after the UAE stated it will not take part due to the lack of a well-defined legal structure.

Increasing International Concerns

Israeli authorities have already ruled out Turkey participation, and Jordan's King Abdullah has declared that Jordanian forces will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, once mooted as a potential contributor, was absent from a preparatory meeting in Turkey and indicated it would not contribute unless a complete ceasefire was in place.

The UAE lacks clarity on a defined structure for the stability force and in this situation declines involvement, but will support all political initiatives towards resolution – and stay at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Regional Doubts and Legal Concerns

The Emirati announcement, delivered by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in Abu Dhabi, reflects Arab doubts about the terms of a American-proposed resolution already circulated to delegates at the UN in NYC. The proposal places an onus on a American-led security mission to be the primary means of ensuring order in Gaza after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the region.

Regional governments would prefer greater responsibilities to be given to a separate Palestinian law enforcement agency. International law would also forbid foreign troops from entering contested Palestinian territories unless there was explicit local approval; otherwise, the force could be viewed as imposed under UN law, and arguably stabilising an unlawful Israeli occupation.

Palestinian Perspectives and Calls for Clarity

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal commented: “It is essential that the mission be deployed not to reinforce the illegal presence, but to uphold international law and end it. The force will succeed as long as it operates in the whole occupied territory, including the occupied territories, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a clear objective to end the occupation within the framework of a sovereign Palestinian state.”

The draft contains no reference to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a two-state solution, a outcome that Israel rejects.

Ongoing Discussions and Potential Risks

In-depth talks on the mission authority, including its command and control, started formally on last week in the UN headquarters, and appear to be lengthy – potentially creating the emergence of a power gap in the strip that may strengthen militant factions.

The United States is proposing that it lead the force although it will not have a large number of personnel involved on the terrain. It has previously effectively assumed command of the distribution of relief supplies into the territory from a new logistical hub based in Israel.

Force Mandate and Governance Role

The draft US resolution outlines the aim of the stabilisation force as “together with the newly trained and screened police force to help secure border areas, stabilise the safety situation in the region by ensuring the process of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding the militant and offensive infrastructure as well as the lasting removal of weapons from non-state armed groups”.

The force, reporting to a “peace council” chaired by the former US president, and not to the UN, would be required to use “any required actions” to fulfill its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatar are also worried that this authority is overly broad, and if Hamas is to disarm, the faction will only do so to local counterparts, probably in the civilian police force, at a moment that, from the militant perspective, marks the end of occupation.

They also worry the draft mandate extends to giving the mission a administrative role in Gaza, a task that was to be reserved for a local technocratic committee working in conjunction with a reformed local government.

Aid Considerations and Funding Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip would remain until “the Palestinian Authority has adequately completed its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the draft says. It also “underscores the significance” of full relief in the territory, including through the United Nations, the ICRC, and the Red Crescent.

However, it opens the door the removal of “any organisation found to have misused such assistance”. The wording permits the board of peace excluding the UN relief agency, the organization that the global judicial body has ruled is the legal provider of assistance.

International Political Efforts

France and Saudi representatives are already advocating for a mention to a Palestinian state to be included in the document. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the White House on 18 November, and Manal Radwan has stated that a mention to a independent Palestine is a requirement.

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

Not the UN nor the 15-member UNSC are assigned a oversight role over the stabilisation force, supervising the implementation of the resolution, a point mostly overlooked by the proposed document. Nothing is outlined about the financing of this stabilisation mission, which, as per the Americans, should be mostly borne by regional nations, with Saudi Arabia assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Requests and Regional Developments

Israel is requesting formal assurances from the United States that it be permitted to emulate the pattern of the Lebanese situation and reserve the authority to return to Gaza if it believes disarmament is not taking place at a scale or pace it requires.

The Israeli proposal was put to the former US advisor, Donald Trump’s relative, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in Jerusalem on this week to discuss developments on the truce and the envoy was due to appear later the that day.

Only the remains of four of the original hundreds of captives remain not recovered.

Separately, Israeli officials has been proposing that the Gaza Strip could still be split in two with reconstruction work beginning in the Israel occupied parts of the strip. Western diplomats maintain that this is no part of the Trump plan.