🔗 Share this article

Proposals for an international security mission mandated by the United Nations to disarm the militant group in Gaza are encountering growing resistance after the United Arab Emirates stated it will not take part due to the lack of a clear legal framework.

Growing Global Concerns

Israeli authorities have previously ruled out Turkey participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that his country's forces will not join. The Azerbaijani government, once considered as a potential participant, was absent from a preparatory session in Turkey and indicated it would not contribute unless a complete truce was established.

Emirati officials does not yet see a clear framework for the stability force and under such circumstances will not participate, but will support all diplomatic initiatives towards resolution – and stay at the vanguard of relief efforts.

Regional Skepticism and Juridical Issues

The Emirati announcement, made by senior envoy Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, reflects regional reservations about the terms of a American-proposed document already circulated to delegates at the UN in NYC. The proposal places an onus on a American-led stabilisation force to be the primary means of ensuring security in the territory after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the region.

Arab states would prefer greater duties to be given to a distinct Palestinian civilian police force. International law would also forbid foreign troops from entering contested Palestine unless there was explicit local approval; without it, the force could be viewed as imposed under international statutes, and arguably reinforcing an illegal presence.

Local Viewpoints and Appeals for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan said: “It is critical that the force be deployed not to reinforce the unlawful presence, but to uphold global standards and end it. The mission will succeed as long as it operates in the entire disputed land, including the West Bank, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a defined goal to conclude the occupation within the context of a independent Palestinian state.”

The draft contains no reference to the occupied territories in the US draft resolution, or to a Palestinian state, or a two-state solution, a prospect that Israeli leadership opposes.

Continuing Negotiations and Potential Dangers

Detailed talks on the stabilisation force mandate, including its command and control, started officially on last week in the UN headquarters, and look likely to be protracted – risking the development of a power gap in the strip that may empower Hamas.

The United States is suggesting that it lead the force although it will not have many personnel deployed on the ground. It has already effectively assumed command of the delivery of relief supplies into the territory from a new logistical hub based in Israel.

Force Objectives and Administrative Role

The draft American document outlines the purpose of the security mission as “along with the recently prepared and screened law enforcement to assist in protecting frontier zones, stabilise the safety situation in Gaza by ensuring the process of demilitarising the Gaza Strip including the elimination and blocking of rebuilding 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 Donald Trump, and not to the UN, would be required to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also worried that this mandate is overly broad, and if Hamas is to lay down arms, the faction will only do so to fellow Palestinians, likely in the local law enforcement, at a moment that, from the militant perspective, signifies the end of Israeli presence.

They also fear the proposed authority extends to granting the mission a governance function in the territory, a task that was to be set aside for a Palestinian expert panel working in cooperation with a reformed local government.

Humanitarian Aspects and Financial Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip would remain until “the local government has adequately completed its restructuring plan, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the proposal says. It also “underscores the significance” of full relief in the territory, including through the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent.

Nonetheless, it allows for the removal of “any group determined to have misused such assistance”. The wording permits the board of peace excluding the UN relief agency, the organization that the global judicial body has ruled is the lawful provider of assistance.

International Political Initiatives

French officials and Saudi Arabia are already advocating for a mention to a sovereign Palestine to be added in the resolution. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is due in the US presidential residence on the specified date, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has said that a reference to a independent Palestine is a prerequisite.

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

Not the UN nor the 15-member UNSC are assigned a oversight role over the mission, monitoring the implementation of the proposal, a point largely overlooked by the draft text. No details is outlined about the financing of this security operation, which, according to the US officials, should be largely borne by regional nations, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.

Israeli Requests and Local Developments

Israeli authorities is seeking written guarantees from the United States that it be permitted to emulate the pattern of the Lebanese situation and reserve the right to return to the territory if it considers demilitarization is not occurring at a scale or pace it demands.

The Israeli proposal was put to the former US advisor, Donald Trump’s relative, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on this week to discuss developments on the truce and Witkoff was scheduled to appear later the that day.

Only the remains of four of the initial 251 captives are still not recovered.

Separately, Israel has been proposing that the Gaza Strip could yet be divided in two parts with reconstruction work starting in the Israeli-controlled areas of the region. International officials insist that this is no part of the Trump plan.