Big names on Trump’s Gaza peace panel face huge challenges

The White House has announced the first members of the Gaza “Peace Board,” and the list of names will do little to assuage criticism from some that the US president’s plan essentially resembles a colonial solution imposed on the Palestinians.

There are still unknowns; who else might be added and the exact structure of the order, which is currently quite complex.

No Palestinian names are included in the two separate high-level committees that have been officially announced so far.

One of these is the “founding Board” with a high focus on investment and diplomacy. The other board, called the “Gaza Executive Board”, is responsible for overseeing all the work in the field of another administrative group, the National Committee for Gaza Administration (NCAG).

This committee was led by Dr. Dr., a civil engineer by training who held ministerial positions in the Palestinian Authority. It consists of so-called technocratic, apolitical Palestinians led by Ali Shaath.

However, six of the seven members of the founding Board of Directors are Americans; these include other members of Trump’s inner circle, such as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Representative for the Middle East who is also the president’s friend and fellow real estate developer.

Ajay Banga, World Bank presidentHe is an exceptional case as a dual-national, Indian-born US citizen. Meanwhile, Sir Tony Blair is a former British Prime Minister and his involvement is likely to further raise concerns about how the Peace Board will work.

Over the past few weeks, criticism of Sir Tony’s possible involvement has come from newspaper reports quoting figures such as prominent politician Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestine National Initiative, and unnamed officials from Arab countries in the region.

Sir Tony’s central role in the Iraq war, combined with Britain’s colonial past in the Middle East, makes him completely unsuitable for his opponents.

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, wrote on social media last year: “Tony Blair? No to hell. Hands off Palestine.”

Even Trump seemed to acknowledge the issue.

“I’ve always liked Tony, but I want to know that he’s a choice that’s acceptable to everyone,” the president said last October.

There is significant overlap between the two senior boards; both feature Kushner, Witkoff and Sir Tony.

However, the Gaza Board of Directors includes the names of some high-level political figures and diplomats from Türkiye, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. It will be chaired by former Bulgarian politician Nickolay Mladenov, who was given the title of High Representative for Gaza.

Yakir Gabay, a businessman born in Israel and now living in Cyprus, is the only Israeli member of the group.

The White House said in a statement announcing the names that those selected will work to ensure “effective governance and best-in-class services that advance peace, stability, and prosperity for the people of Gaza.”

Whatever the concerns and complexities, the plan remains the only game in town; Many world leaders are pledging their support and commitment to make the plan a success.

The fact that the Peace Board, chaired by President Trump, will be located on all the structures announced so far makes its architecture even more complex.

The names of this higher body have not yet been announced, but current British Prime Minister Sir Keir StarmerIt was reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Egyptian Abdülfettah El-Sisi and Canadian leader Mark Carney were also invited to the meeting.

Ultimately, whether the most vocal critics can be appeased will depend on how quickly new members of the senior teams can begin to drive change that will both make a real difference to the daily lives of Palestinians and, more importantly, take concrete steps towards a lasting peace.

Major challenges remain in both of these goals.

The UN estimates that about 80 percent of buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged, and families who survived the war are now struggling with winter conditions and a lack of food and shelter.

While aid groups say some progress has been made, they accuse Israel of continuing to impose restrictions on their work.

Israel says it is facilitating humanitarian aid and accuses the UN of failing to distribute supplies already in Gaza. He argues that any restrictions are designed to prevent Hamas from infiltrating and benefiting from aid efforts.

Demonstrating meaningful progress toward reconstruction will be a Herculean task, involving not only the removal of an estimated 60 million tons of rubble, but also the recovery and destruction of bodies and unexploded bombs found within.

Perhaps the biggest challenge is maintaining the fraying ceasefire.

Another name of Major General Jasper Jeffers, Commander of the International Stabilization Force (ISF), was announced by the White House.

This organization, supported by UN authority, will undertake the difficult task of ensuring the disarmament of Gaza.

There is no clear road map yet on how to persuade Hamas to lay down its arms, nor a clear idea of ​​which country will provide troops for this force or what its mandate and rules of engagement will be.

Hamas has said it will disarm only as part of a broader agreement to establish a Palestinian state.

Israel, whose ground troops still control more than half of the Gaza Strip, has said it will withdraw only if Hamas disarms.

How this Cat-22 can be solved is perhaps the biggest test.