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Plans for an international security mission authorized by the UN to disarm Hamas in the Gaza Strip are encountering growing resistance after the UAE announced it would not take part due to the lack of a clear legal framework.

Growing International Concerns

Israel have already ruled out Turkey involvement, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that his country's troops will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, once mooted as a possible contributor, did not attend a preparatory meeting in Istanbul and said it would not take part unless a complete ceasefire was established.

Emirati officials does not yet see a clear structure for the stabilisation mission and in this situation declines involvement, but will support all political initiatives towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Regional Skepticism and Juridical Issues

The Emirati announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, highlights Arab reservations about the provisions of a American-proposed resolution already distributed to diplomats at the UN in NYC. The draft assigns responsibility on a US-directed security mission to be the primary means of ensuring order in Gaza after Israel have withdrawn from the territory.

Regional governments would like greater duties to be given to a distinct local civilian police force. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit external forces from deploying into contested Palestinian territories unless there was clear Palestinian consent; without it, the mission could be viewed as imposed under UN law, and potentially stabilising an illegal presence.

Palestinian Perspectives and Appeals for Clarity

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan said: “It is critical that the mission be deployed not to stabilise the unlawful presence, but to uphold global standards and end it. The mission will work as long as it enters the entire occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a clear objective to conclude the occupation within the framework of a sovereign state of Palestine.”

The draft contains no mention to the West Bank in the US draft resolution, or to a Palestinian state, or a peaceful resolution, a outcome that Israeli leadership opposes.

Continuing Discussions and Potential Risks

Detailed negotiations on the mission authority, including its leadership structure, started officially on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and appear to be protracted – potentially creating the emergence of a power gap in Gaza that may strengthen Hamas.

The US is proposing that it lead the force although it will not have many personnel involved on the terrain. It has already in effect assumed command of the distribution of relief supplies into the territory from a new logistical hub based in Israel.

Mission Objectives and Governance Function

The draft US resolution outlines the purpose of the stabilisation force as “together with the recently prepared and vetted law enforcement to assist in protecting frontier zones, stabilise the security environment in the region by guaranteeing the process of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the elimination and blocking of rebuilding the militant and offensive infrastructure as well as the permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups”.

The force, reporting to a “peace council” chaired by Donald Trump, and not to the UN, would be mandated to use “any required actions” to achieve its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatar are also concerned that this mandate is too expansive, and if Hamas is to lay down arms, the faction will only do so to local counterparts, likely in the civilian police force, at a moment that, from the militant perspective, signifies the conclusion of Israeli presence.

They also fear the draft mandate extends to giving the stabilisation force a administrative function in the territory, a task that was to be set aside for a local technocratic committee working in conjunction with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Aid Aspects and Funding Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip would stay until “the Palestinian Authority has satisfactorily finished its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the draft says. It also “underscores the significance” of full relief in Gaza, including through the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it allows for the removal of “any organisation found to have improperly used such assistance”. The wording leaves open the board of peace barring the UN relief agency, the body that the global judicial body has ruled is the legal provider of aid.

International Political Initiatives

French officials and Saudi representatives are currently advocating for a reference to a Palestinian state to be included in the document. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on the specified date, and Manal Radwan has stated that a mention to a independent Palestine is a prerequisite.

The PA chair, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris on Monday to review the PA role.

Not the UN nor the 15 strong security council are assigned a supervisory role over the stabilisation force, supervising the implementation of the resolution, a point mostly overlooked by the proposed document. No details is specified about the financing of this stabilisation mission, which, according to the US officials, should be mostly covered by regional nations, with Saudi Arabia taking the lead.

Israeli Requests and Local Situations

Israel is requesting written guarantees from the US that it be allowed to emulate the pattern of Lebanon and retain the right to return to the territory if it believes disarmament is not taking place at a level or speed it demands.

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 ceasefire and Witkoff was scheduled to arrive later the same day.

Only the remains of a small number of the original 251 captives remain unreturned.

Separately, Israel has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could still be divided in two with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israeli-controlled parts of the region. Western diplomats insist that this is not part of the Trump plan.