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Plans for an multinational security mission authorized by the UN to disarm Hamas in the Gaza Strip are facing increasing opposition after the UAE stated it will not join due to the lack of a well-defined legal structure.

Growing Global Concerns

Israeli authorities have previously ruled out Turkish participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has declared that his country's forces will not join. The Azerbaijani government, once considered as a possible contributor, did not attend a preparatory session in Istanbul and indicated it would not take part unless a complete ceasefire was in place.

Emirati officials lacks clarity on a clear structure for the stability mission and under such circumstances declines involvement, but will support all diplomatic efforts towards resolution – and stay at the vanguard of humanitarian aid.

Regional Skepticism and Juridical Issues

The Emirati announcement, made by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in Abu Dhabi, reflects regional reservations about the provisions of a US-drafted document already circulated to delegates at the UN in New York. The proposal places an onus on a US-directed stabilisation force to be the primary means of imposing security in the territory after Israel have left the territory.

Arab states would like greater responsibilities to be given to a distinct Palestinian law enforcement agency. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit external forces from deploying into occupied Palestinian territories unless there was explicit local approval; without it, the mission could be viewed as coercive under international statutes, and arguably reinforcing an unlawful presence.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Appeals for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan said: “It is essential that the force be deployed not to reinforce the unlawful presence, but to uphold global standards and terminate it. The force will work as long as it enters the whole disputed land, including the West Bank, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a clear goal to end the presence within the framework 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 Potential Dangers

Detailed negotiations on the mission mandate, including its command and control, began formally on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and appear to be protracted – potentially creating the emergence of a vacuum in the strip that may strengthen militant factions.

The US is suggesting that it lead the mission although it will not have a large number of personnel involved on the ground. It has previously effectively assumed command of the delivery of relief supplies into the territory from a new civil military coordination centre based in Israel.

Mission Mandate and Governance Role

The draft American document outlines the aim of the stabilisation force as “along with the recently prepared and vetted law enforcement to assist in protecting frontier zones, stabilise the safety situation in the region by ensuring the procedure of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the elimination and blocking of reconstructing the military terror and hostile facilities as well as the permanent removal of arms from non-state armed groups”.

The force, reporting to a “board of peace” chaired by the former US president, and not to the United Nations, would be mandated to use “any required actions” to achieve its goals.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also concerned that this authority is too expansive, and if Hamas is to lay down arms, the group will only do so to local counterparts, likely in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the Hamas viewpoint, marks the conclusion of occupation.

They also worry the proposed authority extends to granting the mission a governance role in the territory, a responsibility that was to be reserved for a local expert panel working in conjunction with a restructured Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Aspects and Funding Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in Gaza would stay until “the Palestinian Authority has satisfactorily completed its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the draft states. It also “underscores the significance” of full relief in the territory, including through the United Nations, the ICRC, and the humanitarian organizations.

However, it opens the door the removal of “any group determined to have misused such aid”. The phrase permits the board of peace excluding Unrwa, the body that the global judicial body has ruled is the legal distributor of aid.

International Political Initiatives

French officials and Saudi representatives are already advocating for a mention to a sovereign Palestine to be included in the resolution. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the US presidential residence on the specified date, and Manal Radwan has stated that a reference to a Palestinian state is a prerequisite.

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

Neither the UN nor the 15 strong UNSC are given a supervisory function over the mission, monitoring the implementation of the proposal, a aspect largely overlooked by the proposed document. No details is outlined about the financing of this security operation, which, as per the US officials, should be largely covered by Gulf states, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Requests and Regional Developments

Israel is requesting written guarantees from the US that it be permitted to emulate the model of Lebanon and reserve the authority to re-enter the territory if it believes disarmament is not taking place at a level or speed it demands.

The request was put to Jared Kushner, the ex-president's son-in-law, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in Jerusalem on this week to discuss developments on the ceasefire and Witkoff was due to arrive subsequently the that day.

Just the remains of four of the original 251 Israeli hostages remain unreturned.

Separately, Israel has been proposing that the Gaza Strip could yet be divided 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 former US administration's proposal.