United Arab Emirates Refuses to Join Gazan Stabilisation Force Lacking Clear Juridical Structure

Plans for an international security mission authorized by the United Nations to demilitarize the militant group in the Gaza Strip are encountering increasing opposition after the United Arab Emirates stated it will not join due to the lack of a well-defined legal structure.

Growing International Reservations

Israel have already excluded Turkey participation, and the Jordanian King Abdullah has stated that his country's troops will not participate. Azerbaijan, previously considered as a possible contributor, did not attend a preparatory meeting in Turkey and said it would not take part unless a complete truce was established.

The UAE does not yet see a clear structure for the stability force and under such circumstances will not participate, but backs all diplomatic initiatives towards peace – and remain at the forefront of humanitarian aid.

Regional Skepticism and Legal Concerns

The UAE's announcement, delivered by diplomatic representative Dr Anwar Gargash at a conference in the UAE capital, highlights regional reservations about the terms of a American-proposed document previously distributed to diplomats at the UN in New York. The draft places an onus on a American-led security mission to be the primary means of imposing order in Gaza after Israel have withdrawn from the region.

Regional governments would prefer expanded responsibilities to be assigned to a distinct local civilian police force. Global jurisprudence would also prohibit foreign troops from deploying into contested Palestine unless there was clear local approval; otherwise, the mission could be viewed as imposed under international statutes, and arguably reinforcing an unlawful presence.

Palestinian Viewpoints and Appeals for Definition

Jamal Nusseibeh of the ceasefire proposal commented: “It is critical that the force be deployed not to reinforce the unlawful presence, but to uphold global standards and terminate it. The mission will work as long as it operates in the whole occupied territory, including the West Bank, at the request of Palestine, and has a defined objective to conclude the occupation within the framework of a sovereign Palestinian state.”

The draft contains no reference to the West Bank in the American proposal, or to a sovereign Palestine, or a peaceful resolution, a prospect that Israeli leadership rejects.

Ongoing Negotiations and Potential Dangers

In-depth negotiations on the stabilisation force mandate, including its leadership structure, began formally on last week in the UN headquarters, and look likely to be lengthy – risking the development of a vacuum in the strip that may strengthen Hamas.

The US is proposing that it lead the mission although it will not have a large number of personnel involved on the terrain. It has previously effectively assumed command of the distribution of humanitarian aid into the territory from a new civil military coordination centre based in Israel.

Force Objectives and Administrative Role

The proposed American document outlines the aim of the security mission as “together with the recently prepared and screened law enforcement to assist in protecting frontier zones, stabilise the security environment in Gaza by ensuring the procedure of disarming the territory including the elimination and blocking of reconstructing the militant and offensive infrastructure as well as the lasting removal of arms from militant factions”.

The force, reporting to a “peace council” led by Donald Trump, and not to the United Nations, would be required to use “all necessary measures” to fulfill its goals.

Regional powers including Qatar are also worried that this authority is too expansive, and if the group is to lay down arms, the faction will solely do so to fellow Palestinians, likely in the local law enforcement, at a moment that, from the Hamas viewpoint, signifies the conclusion of occupation.

They also fear the draft mandate extends to giving the stabilisation force a administrative function in Gaza, a responsibility that was to be reserved for a Palestinian expert panel working in conjunction with a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Humanitarian Aspects and Financial Questions

This “interim authority” in the strip would stay until “the local government has adequately finished its reform program, the satisfaction of which shall be approved to the board of peace”, the proposal says. It also “underscores the significance” of unhindered relief in Gaza, including through the UN, the ICRC, and the Red Crescent.

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

Global Political Efforts

France and Saudi Arabia are currently advocating for a reference to a sovereign Palestine to be added in the document. 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 Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, held talks with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris on Monday to discuss the PA role.

Not the United Nations nor the 15 strong security council are given a supervisory role over the mission, supervising the execution of the proposal, a point mostly overlooked by the proposed document. No details is specified about the financing of this security operation, which, according to the Americans, should be mostly covered by Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia assuming primary responsibility.

Israel's Requests and Regional Situations

Israeli authorities is seeking written guarantees from the US that it be permitted to follow the pattern of the Lebanese situation and reserve the right to re-enter the territory if it considers disarmament is not occurring at a scale or speed it requires.

The Israeli proposal was put to the former US advisor, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Kushner was in the Israeli capital on Monday to discuss progress on the ceasefire and Witkoff was scheduled to appear later the same day.

Just the remains of a small number of the initial hundreds of captives remain not recovered.

Separately, Israel has been proposing that the territory could yet be split in two with rebuilding efforts starting in the Israel occupied parts of the strip. Western diplomats maintain that this is no part of the Trump plan.