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Proposals for an multinational security mission authorized by the UN to disarm the militant group in Gaza are facing growing resistance after the United Arab Emirates announced it would not join due to the absence of a clear legal structure.

Increasing Global Reservations

Israeli authorities have previously ruled out Turkey involvement, and Jordan's King Abdullah has stated that Jordanian troops will not join. The Azerbaijani government, once mooted as a possible participant, did not attend a preparatory session in Turkey and said it would not take part unless a full ceasefire was in place.

The UAE lacks clarity on a defined structure for the stability force and in this situation will not participate, but backs all political efforts towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of relief efforts.

Regional Skepticism and Legal Concerns

The UAE's decision, delivered by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, reflects regional reservations about the terms of a American-proposed document previously circulated to diplomats at the UN in NYC. The proposal assigns responsibility on a US-directed security mission to be the primary means of imposing security in the territory after Israel have withdrawn from the region.

Arab states would like greater duties to be given to a distinct local civilian police force. International law would also forbid external forces from entering contested Palestine unless there was explicit local approval; otherwise, the force could be viewed as imposed under UN law, and potentially stabilising an illegal presence.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Appeals for Clarity

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal commented: “It is critical that the force be sent not to stabilise the illegal presence, but to enforce global standards and terminate it. The mission will succeed as long as it operates in the entire occupied territory, including the occupied territories, at the invitation of the Palestinian authorities, and has a clear objective to conclude the presence within the framework of a sovereign Palestinian state.”

The draft contains no reference to the West Bank in the US draft resolution, or to a Palestinian state, or a two-state solution, a prospect that Israel rejects.

Continuing Negotiations and Potential Dangers

In-depth talks on the mission authority, including its command and control, began officially on Thursday in New York, and appear to be lengthy – potentially creating the development of a power gap in Gaza that may strengthen militant factions.

The US is suggesting that it lead the force although it will not have many troops deployed on the ground. It has previously effectively assumed command of the distribution of relief supplies into Gaza from a new logistical hub based in Israel.

Mission Mandate and Administrative Function

The draft American document outlines the purpose of the stabilisation force as “along with the newly trained and vetted police force to help secure border areas, secure the security environment in Gaza by ensuring the procedure of demilitarising the territory including the elimination and blocking of reconstructing the military terror and hostile facilities as well as the permanent decommissioning of arms from militant factions”.

The force, answerable to a “peace council” led by Donald Trump, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “any required actions” to fulfill its objectives.

Arab states 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 fellow Palestinians, likely in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the Hamas perspective, signifies the conclusion of occupation.

They also fear the draft mandate extends to giving the stabilisation force a governance role in the territory, a task that was to be reserved for a local expert panel working in cooperation with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Aid Aspects and Funding Issues

This “interim authority” in Gaza would remain until “the local government has satisfactorily completed its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be approved to the BoP”, the proposal states. It also “emphasizes the significance” of unhindered relief in the territory, including through the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it allows for the exclusion of “any organisation determined to have improperly used such aid”. The phrase leaves open the board of peace excluding the UN relief agency, the body that the international court of justice has said is the legal distributor of aid.

Global Diplomatic Efforts

France and Saudi representatives are already advocating for a reference to a Palestinian state to be included in the resolution. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled 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 this week to discuss the authority's function.

Neither the United Nations nor the 15-member security council are assigned a oversight role over the stabilisation force, monitoring the execution of the proposal, a aspect largely ignored by the draft text. Nothing is specified about the funding of this security operation, which, according to the Americans, should be mostly covered by regional nations, with Saudi Arabia assuming primary responsibility.

Israeli Demands and Local Developments

Israel is requesting written guarantees from the US that it be permitted to follow the pattern of Lebanon and reserve the authority to re-enter Gaza if it considers disarmament is not occurring at a level or pace it requires.

The Israeli proposal was put to Jared Kushner, the ex-president's son-in-law, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in Jerusalem on Monday to review progress on the ceasefire and Witkoff was scheduled to appear subsequently the that day.

Just the bodies of four of the original hundreds of captives remain unreturned.

Independently, Israel has been proposing that the territory could yet be split in two parts with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israel occupied areas of the region. Western diplomats maintain that this is not part of the Trump plan.