Donald Trump launched his Board of Peace with grand ambitions and even grander rhetoric, calling it potentially the most consequential board ever assembled. As it held its inaugural meeting in Washington Thursday, it was already generating nearly as much controversy as optimism — a reflection of the enormous complexity of the problem it has taken on.
The board brings together more than two dozen founding member nations, with the United States, Israel, and several regional players involved in Gaza ceasefire negotiations at its core. Its stated goals include governing and rebuilding Gaza, supporting a lasting ceasefire, and — most ambitiously — challenging the United Nations Security Council’s traditional role in resolving international conflicts.
Controversy begins with who is at the table and who is not. Palestinians were not invited to participate in a body that is determining the future of their homeland. Key US allies France, Norway, and Sweden declined to join. Israel is suspicious of Qatar and Turkey’s presence. Arab and Muslim members are pressing for Israeli restraint that Israel is unwilling to offer.
On substance, the gaps are equally wide. Hamas has not disarmed. No international stabilization force has deployed. The transitional governing committee is waiting in Egypt for Israeli permission to enter Gaza. Reconstruction pledges are unverified. And daily Israeli strikes continue to kill Palestinians, including civilians, threatening the fragile ceasefire atmosphere.
The board’s first meeting will be judged on whether it can move the needle on any of these issues — particularly on humanitarian conditions that remain dire for two million people in Gaza. Expert observers have warned that without fast, tangible improvements on the ground, the board’s credibility will crumble before it has established itself.
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