Former US President Donald Trump is assembling a controversial international 'board of peace' intended to govern Gaza, a move critics are branding a nakedly neocolonial project that excludes Palestinian representation. The proposed board, revealed last week, has ignited fierce debate over the future of the devastated territory and the broader implications for global power structures.
The Composition of a Controversial Council
Details emerging about the board's membership have raised immediate alarm. Trump himself is slated to serve as chair in an individual capacity, effectively positioning him outside the official role of US president. The list of invited members reads like a roster of contentious global figures.
It includes former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose legacy in the Middle East is heavily shaped by the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The Chilcot inquiry later concluded the UK failed to plan for Iraq's reconstruction, a relevant precedent for Gaza's rebuilding. Other named individuals are Trump's son-in-law, property developer Jared Kushner, who previously remarked on Gaza's 'very valuable' waterfront potential, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Further invitations have reportedly been extended to Israeli billionaire Yakir Gabay, American private equity executive Marc Rowan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and, according to the Kremlin, even Russian President Vladimir Putin. Notably, no seat is reserved for a Palestinian, nor for any survivor of the Gaza conflict.
Financial Demands and Fears of Displacement
The operational plans for the board suggest profound concerns. Reports indicate Trump is demanding $1 billion from each country for a permanent membership seat, with a draft charter suggesting he would control the funds. This financial model aligns with fears that Gaza's reconstruction could become a profit-driven enterprise for developers and investors.
These fears are compounded by Trump's past statements on Palestinian displacement. A year ago, he proposed permanently resettling Gaza's population, a suggestion widely condemned as advocacy for ethnic cleansing. Although he later stated 'nobody is expelling any Palestinians' under Arab pressure, recent comments reveal a persistent mindset.
At a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—who faces ICC arrest warrants for war crimes—Trump suggested Gazans would move if 'given the opportunity to live in a better climate.' This echoes Netanyahu's own reported support for 'voluntary migration,' a principle discussed as Israel's military campaign rendered Gaza uninhabitable.
A Template for a Post-UN World Order
Analysts argue the 'board of peace' represents far more than a plan for Gaza. Its charter does not explicitly mention the territory, instead appearing as an attempt to construct an alternative to the United Nations—a blunt instrument for projecting a particular vision of American power. In this view, Gaza serves merely as a trial run for a new template of international governance.
This project signifies an abandonment of the traditional pillars of Western hegemony, particularly the claim to moral superiority. Unlike past administrations that couched foreign policy in ideals of democracy and freedom, Trump's approach is starkly transactional. He has openly spoken of US companies taking back Venezuela's oil, stripping away the diplomatic veneer.
The erosion of this moral claim, accelerated by events from Abu Ghraib to the war in Gaza, means such neocolonial ventures now operate without even a pretence of higher purpose. The board's formation suggests a future where power is exercised openly for financial and strategic gain, with devastated regions like Gaza becoming laboratories for this new order.
A Warning from the Rubble
The fate of Gaza and the proposed board offers a stark warning. Palestinians have long described their land as a laboratory for technologies of oppression, from surveillance to AI-driven warfare. Now, it risks becoming a laboratory for a form of corporate-colonial governance, overseen by a board of unelected billionaires and controversial statesmen.
With Israel recently recognising Somaliland—amid unconfirmed reports of a deal to accept Gazan refugees—and with Gaza's infrastructure in apocalyptic ruin, the groundwork for demographic change is being laid. The 'board of peace,' in this light, is not a vehicle for reconciliation or recovery, but a mechanism to manage and potentially profit from a profound human tragedy, setting a dangerous precedent for conflicts worldwide.
