Proposals for an international security mission mandated by the UN to demilitarize Hamas in the Gaza Strip are facing increasing opposition after the UAE stated it will not join due to the absence of a clear legal framework.
Growing Global Concerns
Israel 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 potential contributor, was absent from a planning meeting in Istanbul and indicated it would not contribute unless a complete ceasefire was established.
The UAE lacks clarity on a defined structure for the stability mission and in this situation declines involvement, but will support all political efforts towards peace – and remain at the vanguard of relief efforts.
Arab Skepticism and Legal Issues
The UAE's decision, made by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in Abu Dhabi, highlights Arab reservations about the provisions of a US-drafted resolution already circulated to diplomats at the UN in NYC. The proposal assigns responsibility on a US-directed security mission to be the primary means of ensuring security in Gaza after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the territory.
Arab states would like greater duties to be assigned to a separate local civilian police force. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit external forces from entering contested Palestine unless there was explicit Palestinian consent; otherwise, the force could be viewed as coercive under international statutes, and arguably stabilising an unlawful presence.
Local Perspectives and Appeals for Clarity
A Palestinian American co-author of the Palestinian armistice plan said: “It is critical that the force be sent not to reinforce the illegal Israeli occupation, but to uphold international law and end it. The mission will work as long as it operates in the entire occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the request of Palestine, and has a defined objective to conclude the presence within the framework of a sovereign state of Palestine.”
There is no mention to the West Bank in the US draft resolution, or to a Palestinian state, or a two-state solution, a outcome that Israeli leadership opposes.
Continuing Negotiations and Possible Risks
In-depth negotiations on the mission mandate, including its leadership structure, began officially on last week in the UN headquarters, 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 previously effectively assumed command of the delivery of relief supplies into Gaza from a new civil military coordination centre based in the neighboring country.
Mission Mandate and Governance Role
The proposed American document outlines the aim of the stabilisation force 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 territory including the destruction and blocking of reconstructing the militant and hostile facilities as well as the lasting removal of arms from militant factions”.
The force, reporting to a “peace council” chaired by Donald Trump, and not to the UN, would be mandated to use “any required actions” to achieve its goals.
Arab states including Qatar are also concerned that this authority is too expansive, and if Hamas is to disarm, the group will only do so to local counterparts, probably in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the Hamas perspective, signifies the end of Israeli presence.
They also worry the draft mandate extends to granting the stabilisation force a governance function in Gaza, a task that was to be set aside for a local technocratic committee working in conjunction with a reformed Palestinian Authority.
Aid Considerations and Funding Issues
This “interim authority” in Gaza would remain until “the local government has adequately completed its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the board of peace”, the draft states. It also “underscores the importance” of full humanitarian aid in Gaza, including through the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the humanitarian organizations.
Nonetheless, it opens the door the exclusion of “any group found to have misused such assistance”. The phrase permits the council barring Unrwa, the organization that the global judicial body has ruled is the legal provider of aid.
International Political Efforts
French officials and Saudi representatives are already pressing for a reference to a Palestinian state to be included in the resolution. The Saudi leader, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the White House on the specified date, and a Saudi foreign ministry official has said that a mention to a independent Palestine is a prerequisite.
The PA chair, Mahmoud Abbas, met the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris on Monday to review the PA role.
Neither the UN nor the 15-member security council are assigned a supervisory function over the stabilisation force, monitoring the execution of the resolution, a aspect largely ignored by the proposed document. Nothing is outlined about the financing of this security operation, which, as per the Americans, should be mostly covered by regional nations, with the Kingdom assuming primary responsibility.
Israel's Demands and Local Situations
Israel is requesting formal assurances from the US that it be permitted to follow the model of the Lebanese situation and reserve the right to re-enter Gaza if it believes disarmament is not taking place at a level or speed it demands.
The request was put to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s relative, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in Jerusalem on Monday to discuss developments on the ceasefire and Witkoff was scheduled to arrive later the that day.
Only the bodies of four of the original hundreds of Israeli hostages are still unreturned.
Separately, Israeli officials has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could still be split in two with rebuilding efforts beginning in the Israeli-controlled areas of the strip. International officials maintain that this is no part of the Trump plan.
