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Plans for an multinational security mission mandated by the United Nations to disarm Hamas in the Gaza Strip are encountering increasing opposition after the UAE stated it would not take part due to the absence of a well-defined legal framework.

Increasing Global Concerns

Israeli authorities have previously excluded Turkey participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that his country's troops will not join. The Azerbaijani government, previously considered as a possible contributor, did not attend a preparatory meeting in Istanbul and said it would not take part unless a full truce was in place.

The UAE does not yet see a defined structure for the stabilisation force and under such circumstances will not participate, but will support all diplomatic initiatives towards peace – and stay at the vanguard of humanitarian aid.

Regional Skepticism and Legal Issues

The Emirati decision, delivered by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, reflects regional reservations about the terms of a US-drafted resolution already circulated to delegates at the UN in New York. The proposal assigns responsibility on a US-directed security mission to be the principal means of ensuring order in the territory after Israel have left the region.

Arab states would like expanded duties to be assigned to a distinct Palestinian law enforcement agency. International law would also prohibit external forces from deploying into contested Palestine unless there was clear local approval; without it, the mission could be seen as imposed under international statutes, and arguably reinforcing an illegal presence.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Calls for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is essential that the force be deployed not to stabilise the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to uphold global standards and terminate it. The force will work as long as it operates in the whole disputed land, including the West Bank, at the request of Palestine, and has a defined objective to conclude the occupation within the context of a sovereign Palestinian state.”

The draft contains no mention to the occupied territories in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a two-state solution, a outcome that Israeli leadership opposes.

Ongoing Negotiations and Possible Dangers

Detailed talks on the mission authority, including its command and control, began officially on last week in New York, and appear to be protracted – potentially creating the emergence of a vacuum in Gaza that may empower militant factions.

The United States is suggesting that it lead the force although it will not have a large number of personnel deployed on the terrain. It has already effectively taken control of the distribution of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new logistical hub based in the neighboring country.

Mission Objectives and Governance Function

The proposed US resolution outlines the aim of the security mission as “along with the newly trained and vetted police force to help secure frontier zones, secure the safety situation in Gaza by ensuring the procedure of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the destruction and blocking of rebuilding the militant and offensive infrastructure as well as the permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups”.

The mission, answerable to a “board of peace” led by Donald Trump, and not to the UN, would be mandated to use “any required actions” to achieve its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also worried that this mandate is overly broad, and if the group is to disarm, the group will only do so to fellow Palestinians, probably in the local law enforcement, at a moment that, from the militant perspective, marks the conclusion of occupation.

They also worry the draft mandate extends to granting the mission a administrative role in the territory, a responsibility that was to be set aside for a Palestinian expert panel working in conjunction with a restructured Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Aspects and Financial Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in Gaza would remain until “the local government has adequately completed its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be approved to the BoP”, the draft states. It also “emphasizes the importance” of unhindered relief in the territory, including through the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it opens the door the removal of “any organisation found to have misused such assistance”. The wording permits the board of peace excluding Unrwa, the organization that the international court of justice has said is the legal distributor of aid.

Global Political Efforts

French officials and Saudi representatives are currently pressing for a mention to a sovereign Palestine to be added in the resolution. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the White House on the specified date, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has stated 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 this week to review the authority's function.

Not the United Nations nor the 15 strong security council are assigned a supervisory function over the stabilisation force, supervising the execution of the resolution, a point mostly ignored by the draft text. Nothing is outlined about the financing of this security operation, which, as per the Americans, should be mostly covered by regional nations, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israeli Requests and Local Developments

Israeli authorities is seeking written guarantees from the US that it be allowed to emulate the model of the Lebanese situation and reserve the right to re-enter Gaza if it considers demilitarization is not occurring at a scale or speed it demands.

The request was presented to the former US advisor, Donald Trump’s relative, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in the Israeli capital on Monday to review progress on the ceasefire and the envoy was due to appear later the that day.

Just the bodies of four of the initial 251 Israeli hostages remain not recovered.

Independently, Israel has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could yet be divided in two parts with reconstruction work starting in the Israel occupied areas of the region. International officials maintain that this is no part of the former US administration's proposal.