Gaza Peace Council Deemed a Failure and Should Be Abolished

The Peace Council, established under former US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan for Gaza, is being criticized as having failed in its role of overseeing the ceasefire and reconstruction. After six months of operation, the council has made no substantive progress, lacking the power, funding, enforcement mechanisms, and legal standing within the international legal system to accomplish its self-proclaimed mandate.

The council was established under Article 9 of Trump's peace plan, unveiled in October, tasked with overseeing a temporary Palestinian technocratic body to administer Gaza and an International Stabilization Force (ISF) comprising multinational peacekeepers. In theory, the council would oversee Gaza's reconstruction and Israel's gradual withdrawal, but in practice, no progress has been made on either front.

Despite promises to transform Gaza into a modern urban area, most residents still live in squalid tent camps. Last month, the council scaled back its reconstruction plan to a pilot project near Rafah, where Israel would control which Palestinians are allowed to remain in the development zone. Worse, the council is seeking to grant itself the power to confiscate Palestinian property or use it "for free," providing cover for Israel's continued land grabs.

Israel's withdrawal, another major process the council was supposed to monitor, has been largely forgotten. Israel continues to kill Palestinian civilians in airstrikes and expand its territorial control, from 53% to about 70% of Gaza's area since the ceasefire began. More than 1,100 Palestinian civilians have been killed since October. The council has taken no action or issued any public statements condemning these acts.

Instead, the council blames Palestinians for the lack of progress, calling Hamas the "main obstacle" to implementing the ceasefire, despite no recorded Palestinian attacks since it began. The council also maintains agreements that allow Israel to control aid entering Gaza, contrary to Trump's plan.

The lack of confidence is evident in the refusal of many major European countries and China to join the council, as well as its funding shortfall. Although the US pledged $10 billion and other countries pledged an additional $7 billion, the council's World Bank account reportedly received no funds. The council relies on a few million dollars in a private JP Morgan account, largely spent on salaries and administrative costs.

A clear sign of failure is the council's attempt to secure immunity from prosecution for its members and bodies. This indicates an intention to operate above the law, imposing a foreign governance structure that masks Israel's occupation.

Analysts argue that the solution is to return responsibility to the United Nations. Although the UN has failed to resolve the conflict for over seven decades, its framework anchors action in international law, provides mechanisms for accountability and transparency, and protects the rights of Palestinian refugees. UNRWA and related agencies could address the major challenges of displaced populations and reconstruction.

Additionally, the ISF should be deployed not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank to protect Palestinians from settler attacks, and it should have a UN mandate to encourage broader participation. The international community must act now, abolish the Peace Council, and empower the UN for the benefit of the Palestinian people.