🔗 Share this article

Plans for an international stabilisation force authorized by the United Nations to demilitarize Hamas in the Gaza Strip are encountering increasing opposition after the UAE stated it would not take part due to the absence of a clear legal structure.

Growing Global Reservations

Israel have previously excluded Turkish participation, and Jordan's King Abdullah has stated that his country's troops will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, previously considered as a potential contributor, was absent from a planning session in Turkey and said it would not contribute unless a full truce was established.

The UAE does not yet see a clear structure for the stability force and under such circumstances declines involvement, but backs all political efforts towards peace – and stay at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Arab Doubts and Legal Concerns

The UAE's decision, made by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in Abu Dhabi, highlights regional reservations about the terms of a US-drafted resolution previously distributed to diplomats at the UN in New York. The proposal places an onus on a American-led stabilisation force to be the primary means of imposing order in Gaza after Israeli forces have left the region.

Arab states would prefer greater duties to be assigned to a distinct Palestinian law enforcement agency. Global jurisprudence would also forbid external forces from entering occupied Palestine unless there was explicit Palestinian consent; otherwise, the mission could be seen as coercive under international statutes, and arguably reinforcing an illegal presence.

Palestinian Perspectives and Appeals for Definition

Jamal Nusseibeh of the ceasefire proposal commented: “It is essential that the force be sent not to reinforce the unlawful Israeli occupation, but to enforce global standards and terminate it. The force will work 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 end the occupation within the framework of a sovereign Palestinian state.”

There is no mention to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a Palestinian state, or a two-state solution, a outcome that Israel rejects.

Continuing Negotiations and Possible Dangers

In-depth negotiations on the stabilisation force mandate, including its command and control, began formally on last week in New York, and appear to be lengthy – potentially creating the development of a vacuum in the strip that may strengthen militant factions.

The United States is suggesting that it command the mission although it will not have many troops involved on the ground. It has already in effect assumed command of the delivery of relief supplies into the territory from a new civil military coordination centre based in the neighboring country.

Mission Mandate and Administrative Function

The draft US resolution defines the purpose of the security mission as “together with the newly trained and vetted law enforcement to help secure border areas, secure the security environment in Gaza by guaranteeing the procedure of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the elimination and prevention of reconstructing the militant and hostile facilities as well as the permanent decommissioning of arms from non-state armed groups”.

The mission, answerable to a “peace council” chaired by the former US president, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “any required actions” to achieve its goals.

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

They also worry the proposed authority extends to giving the stabilisation force a administrative function in Gaza, a task that was to be reserved for a local expert panel working in conjunction with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Considerations and Funding Issues

This “transitional governance administration” in Gaza would remain until “the local government has satisfactorily completed its restructuring plan, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the draft states. It also “emphasizes the importance” of full humanitarian aid in the territory, including through the United Nations, the ICRC, and the Red Crescent.

However, it allows for the exclusion of “any group determined to have improperly used such assistance”. The phrase leaves open the board of peace barring Unrwa, the body that the global judicial body has ruled is the lawful distributor of assistance.

International Political Initiatives

France and Saudi Arabia are currently advocating for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be included in the document. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on 18 November, and Manal Radwan has stated that a reference to a Palestinian state is a prerequisite.

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

Neither the United Nations nor the 15-member UNSC are assigned a supervisory function over the mission, monitoring the implementation of the resolution, a aspect largely ignored by the draft text. Nothing is outlined about the funding of this security operation, which, according to the US officials, should be mostly borne by Gulf states, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Demands and Local Situations

Israeli authorities is requesting written guarantees from the United States that it be allowed to emulate the model of the Lebanese situation and reserve the authority to re-enter Gaza if it considers disarmament is not occurring at a scale or pace it demands.

The Israeli proposal was presented 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 progress on the truce and Witkoff was due to arrive subsequently the same day.

Just the bodies of a small number of the initial 251 Israeli hostages remain unreturned.

Independently, Israeli officials has been suggesting that the territory could still be divided in two parts with reconstruction work beginning in the Israeli-controlled areas of the region. International officials maintain that this is not part of the former US administration's proposal.