Trump’s current Gaza “peace plan” presented last September combines a 20‑point ceasefire and demilitarization while promising large‑scale reconstruction and investment. The ceasefire starting October 10 and hostage return that “ended” Israel’s two-year attack on Gaza following Hama’s Oct 7, 2023, attack on Israel, is to be followed by rebuilding the totally flattened Strip.
Hama’s Oct 7 attack killed 1,400 Israelis and Israel’s counterattack has killed over 72,000 Palestinians (over half of them women and children) with more yet to be counted under the rubble. Moreover, the attacks and blockage of food and medical supplies since the “ceasefire” starting October 10, have resulted in almost 500 more Palestinian deaths.
The next phase is the rebuilding of the buildings destroyed by Israel during its war on Hamas. For this purpose President Trump has created a Board of Peace. Wikipedia reports that: “Donald Trump is explicitly named in the Charter of the Board of Peace as its inaugural Chairman. The chairman has no term limit, and they alone have the authority to nominate their designated successor. Only the Chairman has the ability to invite countries to join the board. The Chairman has the exclusive authority to create, modify, or dissolve subsidiary entities of the Board of Peace. All revisions to the Charter and administrative directives issued by the Board of Peace are subject to approval by the Chairman.[1] Trump’s chairmanship of the Board of Peace is independent to him holding the presidency of the United States and he has indicated that he would like to remain chairman for life.” “Board of Peace”
“To operationalize the Board of Peace’s vision—under the chairmanship of President Donald J. Trump—a Founding Executive Board has been formed…. The appointed members are:
- Secretary Marco Rubio
- Steve Witkoff
- Jared Kushner
- Sir Tony Blair
- Marc Rowan
- Ajay Banga
- Robert Gabriel”.
White House statement on President Trump’s comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict”
A long list of countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy and other European nations, were absent from the signing of the Board of Peace in Davos, and some have specifically rejected the invitation. And why should they join an organization that puts Trump in charge of the world for life.
“His plan is to strip the United Nations – and thereby the international community – of any oversight of Gaza’s fate…. The US president hopes his “Board of Peace” will deliver the knockout blow, supplanting the UN and the system of international law it is there to uphold.” “Trump’s Board of Peace is the nail in the UN”
These concerns for the status of the UN are important, but I want to flag a different flaw in Trump’s “peace” plans having to do with its rebuilding.
“Jared Kushner on Thursday unveiled a sweeping U.S.-backed vision at Davos to rebuild the war-torn Gaza Strip into a “New Gaza” economic hub by 2035,” “Jared Kushner unveils new Gaza” These plans reflect the statements made by Trump one year ago in which he proposed that the United States should “own” the Gaza Strip, “level the site” (clear the ruins) and build resorts there, calling it “the Riviera of the Middle East.” Rights groups and major news outlets noted that behind these pledges to make Gaza a “Riviera of the Middle East” was a plan to permanently “empty” Gaza of its more than 2 million Palestinian residents and not allow them to return. Trump said Palestinians would be moved to neighboring states such as Jordan and Egypt, providing them with “much better housing” and a “beautiful location” elsewhere.
In a statement by Tony Blair: “For Gaza and its people, we want a Gaza which does not reconstruct Gaza as it was but as it could and should be.”
What is missing in these plans is recognition that Gaza is the home of and owned by two million Palestinians, who surely should have a say in its future.
“What is Israel’s objective in Gaza”
Warren's space 