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Plans for an multinational security mission authorized by the United Nations to demilitarize Hamas in Gaza are encountering growing resistance after the UAE stated it will not take part due to the lack of a clear legal structure.

Growing International Concerns

Israel have previously ruled out Turkish participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that Jordanian forces will not join. Azerbaijan, previously considered as a possible participant, did not attend a planning session in Turkey and said it would not contribute unless a full truce was in place.

The UAE lacks clarity on a clear structure for the stability mission and under such circumstances declines involvement, but will support all diplomatic initiatives towards resolution – and remain at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Regional Doubts and Legal Concerns

The UAE's announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in the UAE capital, reflects regional doubts about the provisions of a US-drafted document already distributed to delegates at the UN in New York. The proposal places an onus on a US-directed security mission to be the principal means of ensuring order in the territory after Israeli forces have withdrawn from the region.

Regional governments would like expanded duties to be assigned to a distinct local law enforcement agency. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit external forces from deploying into contested Palestinian territories unless there was clear local approval; without it, the force could be viewed as imposed under international statutes, and potentially stabilising an unlawful presence.

Palestinian Perspectives and Appeals for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal commented: “It is essential that the mission be deployed not to reinforce the unlawful presence, but to enforce global standards and terminate it. The mission will work as long as it enters the whole disputed land, including the West Bank, at the invitation of the Palestinian authorities, and has a clear goal to conclude the occupation within the context of a independent state of Palestine.”

There is no reference to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a two-state solution, a outcome that Israeli leadership opposes.

Continuing Discussions and Potential Risks

In-depth talks on the stabilisation force authority, including its leadership structure, started formally on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and look likely to be protracted – potentially creating the emergence of a vacuum in the strip that may empower militant factions.

The US is suggesting that it lead the force although it will not have many personnel involved on the ground. It has previously in effect assumed command of the distribution of relief supplies into the territory from a new civil military coordination centre based in the neighboring country.

Force Objectives and Governance Function

The proposed US resolution defines the purpose of the security mission as “along with the recently prepared and vetted law enforcement to help secure frontier zones, stabilise the security environment in the region by guaranteeing the procedure of disarming the territory including the elimination and prevention of rebuilding the militant and offensive infrastructure as well as the permanent decommissioning of weapons from militant factions”.

The mission, reporting to a “peace council” chaired by the former US president, and not to the UN, would be required to use “any required actions” to achieve its objectives.

Regional powers including Qatari officials are also concerned that this authority is overly broad, and if the group is to disarm, the faction will only do so to local counterparts, likely in the civilian police force, at a time that, from the militant perspective, signifies the conclusion of Israeli presence.

They also worry the draft mandate extends to giving the stabilisation force a governance role in the territory, a task that was to be reserved for a local technocratic committee working in cooperation with a reformed local government.

Aid Considerations and Financial Issues

This “interim authority” in the strip would remain until “the Palestinian Authority has adequately finished its restructuring plan, the satisfaction of which shall be acceptable to the BoP”, the proposal says. It also “emphasizes the significance” of full relief in the territory, including through the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the humanitarian organizations.

Nonetheless, it opens the door the removal of “any organisation found to have misused such assistance”. The phrase permits the council barring Unrwa, the body that the international court of justice has said is the lawful distributor of aid.

International Diplomatic Initiatives

French officials and Saudi Arabia are already advocating for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be included in the resolution. 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 requirement.

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

Not the UN nor the 15 strong security council are assigned a oversight function over the mission, supervising the implementation of the proposal, a point mostly ignored by the proposed document. Nothing is specified about the funding of this stabilisation mission, which, as per the Americans, should be mostly covered by Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia taking the lead.

Israeli Demands and Regional Situations

Israel is seeking formal assurances from the United States that it be allowed to follow the model of Lebanon and reserve the authority to return to Gaza if it believes demilitarization is not taking place at a level or speed it demands.

The Israeli proposal was put to the former US advisor, the ex-president's relative, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. The advisor was in the Israeli capital on this week to review developments on the truce and the envoy was due to appear later the same day.

Just the remains of a small number of the initial 251 Israeli hostages remain not recovered.

Independently, Israel has been suggesting that the territory could still be divided in two with reconstruction work beginning in the Israel occupied areas of the strip. Western diplomats maintain that this is no part of the Trump plan.