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Proposals for an multinational stabilisation force mandated by the UN to demilitarize Hamas in the Gaza Strip are facing increasing opposition after the UAE announced it would not join due to the absence of a well-defined legal framework.

Growing International Concerns

Israeli authorities have previously excluded Turkish participation, and Jordan's King Abdullah has declared that his country's forces will not participate. The Azerbaijani government, previously considered as a potential participant, did not attend a preparatory session in Turkey and indicated it would not contribute unless a full ceasefire was in place.

Emirati officials does not yet see a clear framework for the stabilisation force and under such circumstances declines involvement, but will support all diplomatic initiatives towards resolution – and stay at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Arab Doubts and Legal Concerns

The UAE's decision, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a forum in Abu Dhabi, reflects regional doubts about the provisions of a American-proposed document already circulated to delegates at the UN in NYC. The draft assigns responsibility on a American-led security mission to be the principal means of imposing order in Gaza after Israel have left the territory.

Regional governments would prefer greater duties to be given to a distinct Palestinian law enforcement agency. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit external forces from entering occupied Palestinian territories unless there was explicit local approval; otherwise, the force could be seen as imposed under international statutes, and arguably stabilising an unlawful presence.

Palestinian Perspectives and Appeals for Definition

A Palestinian American co-author of the ceasefire proposal said: “It is critical that the force be deployed not to stabilise the illegal presence, but to enforce global standards and terminate it. The force will succeed as long as it enters the whole occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the invitation of Palestine, and has a defined goal to end the occupation within the context of a sovereign state of Palestine.”

The draft contains no reference to the occupied territories in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a outcome that Israel opposes.

Ongoing Negotiations and Possible Dangers

Detailed negotiations on the mission mandate, including its command and control, started formally on Thursday in the UN headquarters, and appear to be protracted – potentially creating the emergence of a power gap in the strip that may empower Hamas.

The US is proposing that it lead the force although it will not have many personnel deployed 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.

Mission Mandate and Administrative Role

The draft American document defines the purpose of the security mission as “together with the newly trained and screened law enforcement to help secure border areas, stabilise the security environment in Gaza by ensuring the procedure of disarming the territory including the elimination and prevention of reconstructing the militant and hostile facilities as well as the lasting decommissioning of arms from non-state armed groups”.

The force, reporting to a “board of peace” led by Donald Trump, and not to the UN, would be mandated to use “all necessary measures” to achieve its goals.

Arab states including Qatari officials are also worried that this mandate is too expansive, and if Hamas is to lay down arms, the group will only do so to local counterparts, probably in the civilian police force, at a moment that, from the militant perspective, marks the end of Israeli presence.

They also worry the proposed authority extends to granting the stabilisation force a administrative role in the territory, a task that was to be set aside for a local expert panel working in cooperation with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Aid Aspects and Funding Questions

This “transitional governance administration” in the strip would remain until “the Palestinian Authority has satisfactorily finished its restructuring plan, the approval of which shall be approved to the board of peace”, the draft says. It also “underscores the importance” of full humanitarian aid in the territory, including through the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the humanitarian organizations.

However, it allows for the removal of “any group found to have improperly used such assistance”. The wording leaves open the board of peace barring Unrwa, the organization that the international court of justice has said is the lawful distributor of assistance.

Global Political Initiatives

French officials and Saudi representatives are already pressing for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be included in the document. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is scheduled in the White House on 18 November, and Manal Radwan has stated that a reference to a independent Palestine is a requirement.

The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, held talks with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris on Monday to discuss the authority's function.

Neither the UN nor the 15-member security council are assigned a supervisory role over the stabilisation force, monitoring the implementation of the resolution, a point largely overlooked by the proposed document. Nothing is outlined about the funding of this security operation, which, according to the Americans, should be largely covered by regional nations, with the Kingdom taking the lead.

Israel's Requests and Regional Developments

Israeli authorities is seeking formal assurances from the US that it be allowed to follow the pattern of the Lebanese situation and retain the authority to return to the territory if it believes demilitarization is not taking place at a level or speed it requires.

The Israeli proposal was presented to Jared Kushner, the ex-president's relative, and the American diplomat, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on this week to discuss developments on the truce and the envoy was scheduled to arrive subsequently the that day.

Just the bodies of four of the original hundreds of Israeli hostages remain not recovered.

Separately, Israeli officials has been suggesting that the Gaza Strip could yet be divided in two with reconstruction work starting in the Israel occupied areas of the strip. International officials insist that this is not part of the Trump plan.