🔗 Share this article

Proposals for an multinational stabilisation force mandated by the United Nations to disarm the militant group in Gaza are facing increasing resistance after the UAE stated it would not join due to the absence of a clear legal structure.

Increasing Global Reservations

Israeli authorities have already ruled out Turkish participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that Jordanian forces will not join. The Azerbaijani government, once mooted as a potential contributor, was absent from a planning meeting in Istanbul and indicated it would not contribute unless a complete truce was in place.

The UAE does not yet see a clear framework for the stabilisation mission and in this situation will not participate, but will support all diplomatic efforts towards resolution – and stay at the vanguard of relief efforts.

Arab Doubts and Legal Concerns

The UAE's announcement, delivered by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in Abu Dhabi, reflects regional doubts about the provisions of a US-drafted resolution already circulated to diplomats at the UN in New York. The draft assigns responsibility on a American-led security mission to be the primary means of imposing security in Gaza after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the territory.

Regional governments would prefer expanded responsibilities to be assigned to a distinct Palestinian law enforcement agency. International law would also prohibit foreign troops from deploying into contested Palestinian territories unless there was explicit Palestinian consent; otherwise, the mission could be seen as imposed under international statutes, and arguably reinforcing an unlawful presence.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Appeals for Clarity

Jamal Nusseibeh of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is essential that the force be deployed not to reinforce the unlawful presence, but to enforce international law and terminate it. The mission will succeed as long as it operates in the whole disputed land, including the occupied territories, at the request of Palestine, and has a clear objective to conclude the occupation within the context of a independent state of Palestine.”

There is no mention to the occupied territories in the US draft resolution, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israeli leadership opposes.

Ongoing Negotiations and Possible Dangers

In-depth negotiations on the stabilisation force mandate, including its leadership structure, began formally on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and look likely to be protracted – potentially creating the emergence of a vacuum in Gaza that may empower Hamas.

The United States is proposing that it command the force although it will not have a large number of personnel involved on the terrain. It has previously effectively taken control of the distribution of relief supplies into the territory from a recently established civil military coordination centre based in Israel.

Force Mandate and Governance Role

The proposed US resolution outlines the aim of the security mission as “together with the recently prepared and screened law enforcement to help secure border areas, secure the security environment in Gaza by guaranteeing the process of disarming the territory including the destruction and blocking of reconstructing the militant and hostile facilities as well as the lasting decommissioning of arms from non-state armed groups”.

The force, answerable to a “board of peace” led by the former US president, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also worried that this authority is overly broad, and if Hamas is to disarm, the faction 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 Israeli presence.

They also worry the proposed authority extends to giving the stabilisation force a governance function in Gaza, a task that was to be set aside for a local technocratic committee working in cooperation with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Aid Considerations and Financial Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in Gaza would remain until “the Palestinian Authority has adequately finished its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be approved to the BoP”, the draft says. It also “underscores the importance” of unhindered relief in Gaza, including through the United Nations, the ICRC, and the humanitarian organizations.

Nonetheless, it allows for the removal of “any group found to have misused such aid”. The phrase leaves open the board of peace barring the UN relief agency, the body that the global judicial body has said is the legal provider of assistance.

International Diplomatic Efforts

French officials and Saudi representatives are currently advocating for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be included in the resolution. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on 18 November, and Manal Radwan has stated that a mention to a independent Palestine is a requirement.

The PA chair, Mahmoud Abbas, held talks with the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in the French capital on Monday to review the PA role.

Neither the United Nations nor the 15 strong UNSC are given a supervisory role over the stabilisation force, supervising the execution of the proposal, a aspect largely ignored by the proposed document. Nothing is specified about the funding of this security operation, which, as per the US officials, should be mostly covered by regional nations, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israeli Requests and Regional Situations

Israel is requesting written guarantees from the US that it be permitted to emulate the model of the Lebanese situation and reserve the authority to return to Gaza if it considers demilitarization is not taking place at a scale or pace it demands.

The Israeli proposal was presented to the former US advisor, the ex-president's son-in-law, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in Jerusalem on this week to discuss progress on the ceasefire and Witkoff was scheduled to arrive later the same day.

Just the remains of four of the original hundreds of Israeli hostages are still not recovered.

Independently, Israel has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could yet be divided in two with rebuilding efforts starting in the Israel occupied parts of the strip. International officials maintain that this is not part of the Trump plan.