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Proposals for an multinational security mission mandated by the United Nations to disarm the militant group in the Gaza Strip are facing growing opposition after the United Arab Emirates stated it will not take part due to the absence of a well-defined legal structure.

Growing International Reservations

Israel have already ruled out Turkish involvement, and Jordan's King Abdullah has declared that Jordanian forces will not join. The Azerbaijani government, once mooted as a possible participant, was absent from a planning meeting in Istanbul and indicated it would not contribute unless a full truce was in place.

The UAE does not yet see a defined framework for the stability force and in this situation will not participate, but will support all political initiatives towards peace – and remain at the forefront of relief efforts.

Regional Skepticism and Legal Concerns

The UAE's announcement, made by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, reflects regional doubts about the provisions of a American-proposed resolution previously circulated to delegates at the UN in New York. The draft places an onus on a US-directed security mission to be the principal means of ensuring order in Gaza after Israel have left the territory.

Regional governments would like greater responsibilities to be given to a separate local civilian police force. Global jurisprudence would also forbid external forces from entering occupied Palestine unless there was clear local approval; without it, the mission could be viewed as coercive under international statutes, and potentially stabilising an unlawful presence.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Appeals for Definition

Jamal Nusseibeh of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is essential that the force be sent not to stabilise the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to enforce international law and terminate it. The mission will succeed as long as it enters the entire occupied territory, including the occupied territories, at the invitation of the Palestinian authorities, and has a clear objective to conclude the occupation within the context of a sovereign Palestinian state.”

The draft contains no mention to the occupied territories in the US draft resolution, or to a Palestinian state, or a peaceful resolution, a outcome that Israel opposes.

Continuing Negotiations and Possible Dangers

In-depth talks on the mission mandate, including its command and control, began officially on last week in the UN headquarters, and appear to be protracted – risking the emergence of a vacuum in Gaza that may empower Hamas.

The United States is suggesting that it lead the mission although it will not have many personnel deployed on the ground. It has previously in effect assumed command of the distribution of humanitarian aid into Gaza from a new logistical hub based in Israel.

Force Objectives and Governance Function

The draft American document outlines the purpose of the security mission as “along with the recently prepared and screened police force to assist in protecting frontier zones, stabilise the safety situation in the region by ensuring the process of disarming the territory including the elimination and blocking of rebuilding the militant and offensive infrastructure as well as the lasting removal of arms from militant factions”.

The force, answerable to a “peace council” led by the former US president, and not to the UN, would be required to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its goals.

Arab states including Qatari officials are also worried that this mandate is overly broad, and if the group is to lay down arms, the group will only do so to fellow Palestinians, probably in the local law enforcement, at a time that, from the Hamas perspective, signifies the end of Israeli presence.

They also worry the draft mandate extends to giving the stabilisation force a governance role in the territory, a responsibility that was to be set aside for a local expert panel working in conjunction with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Aid Considerations and Funding Issues

This “interim authority” in Gaza would stay until “the local government has adequately completed its restructuring plan, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the draft says. It also “underscores the importance” of unhindered relief in Gaza, including through the UN, the ICRC, and the humanitarian organizations.

However, it allows for the exclusion of “any organisation determined to have improperly used such aid”. The wording permits the council barring Unrwa, the body that the global judicial body has ruled is the legal distributor of aid.

Global Diplomatic Efforts

France and Saudi Arabia are currently advocating for a reference to a Palestinian state to be added in the resolution. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the White House on the specified date, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has stated that a mention to a independent Palestine is a requirement.

The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, held talks with the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on this week to review the authority's function.

Neither the UN nor the 15 strong security council are given a oversight role over the mission, monitoring the execution of the proposal, a aspect largely overlooked by the proposed document. No details is specified about the funding of this security operation, which, according to the Americans, should be mostly borne by Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia assuming primary responsibility.

Israeli Requests and Local Developments

Israel is seeking written guarantees from the United States that it be allowed to follow the pattern of Lebanon and retain the right to return to the territory if it believes demilitarization is not taking place at a level or pace it demands.

The request was presented to the former US advisor, the ex-president's relative, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in Jerusalem on this week to review developments on the truce and the envoy was scheduled to arrive subsequently the that day.

Just the bodies of four of the initial 251 Israeli hostages remain unreturned.

Separately, Israeli officials has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could still be divided in two with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israeli-controlled areas of the region. International officials maintain that this is no part of the former US administration's proposal.